Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater
by Apostle of Dawn
Summary: Sesshomaru, the 'Lord of the West' traveled across time and dimensions in order to retrieve his stolen Tensaiga but he ended up meeting the Soul Reapers and the 'Beauty of Hueco Mundo,' Tia Harribel. The tale describes blooming of their bond amidst the havoc caused by the higher powers, which is just like the eternal reflection of moon on the water, struggling through the ripples.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own any fandom or their respective characters or concepts which I have used in writing this fanfiction, all of them belong to their respective copyright © creators. Neither I own the songs nor the pictures which I have linked in this fanfiction to give various types of references while they also belong to their respective copyright © creators. This is purely a fan-work and I am not making any kind of profit through it.

**Warning:**

This is an M-Rated fanfiction due to the description of violence, gore, deaths and other sorts of concepts which could be disturbing while it also contains sexual themes and slangs.

**Summary:**

Sesshomaru, the 'Lord of the West' traveled across time and dimensions in order to retrieve his stolen Tensaiga but he ended up meeting the Soul Reapers and the 'Beauty of Hueco Mundo,' Tia Harribel. The tale describes blooming of their bond amidst the havoc caused by the higher powers, which is just like the eternal reflection of moon on the water, struggling through the ripples.

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**Special recommendation by the Author:**

This story is also available on the Website: archiveofourown . org (without spaces) under the Username: Solitud4eva

At the the above given website this story is available with suitable pictures and mentioned music links attached in the story itself.

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****Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater****

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

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**_Suggested Music: "Here we stand" by Hidden Citizens (feat. Svrcina)_**

_Have you ever thought about the relationship between the moon and the water?_

_They reside in two different realms, one in the sky and the other on the land but this huge distance seems to be nothing in front of their relationship because if we see the surface of the water at night, the moon is always there in its embrace. Water is so delicate that even a feather fallen upon its surface creates ripples but when the moon touches it at night then neither are there ripples nor any sound because their relationship is natural. This is a relationship of an everlasting reflection, forms when the moon crosses the realms to meet the water._

**_Around 1000 years ago_**

**Bernhard Castle (somewhere in the present day Europe)…**

Brotherhood of Light, an order of the warriors committed to fight in the name of Supreme Almighty, was fighting against the three Lords of Shadow and their legion which comprised of vampires, werewolves, necromancers, and other creatures of the darkness. Gabriel Belmont, a warrior of great caliber with immense devotion towards Supreme Almighty in his heart, was bravely leading the forces of the Brotherhood of Light. He was unaware of the fact a powerful Acolyte of Satan, Raisa Volkova, was keeping an eye on this battle all this time, moreover, she was the one responsible for taking this war to such a terrible scale.

Even though the soldiers of the Brotherhood of Light were trying to eliminate each and every creature of darkness yet thousands of them escaped the war and slowly spread throughout the world. On the other hand, Gabriel Belmonte proved to be more than a match for the Lords of Shadow and thus both sides were forced to unleash their complete strength. This terrible clash of light and darkness resulted in an eruption of such destructive energy which enveloped the entire earth and began to kill all those living beings who were caught off guard and were too weak to withstand the deathly vibes that were swarming the World of Living.

**Soul Society…**

It had been several months since the Shinigamis were trying to find the hideout of the Quincies so that instead of hunting them down one by one, they can wipe them all out in one blow. However, the Lord of the Quincies i.e. Yhwach finally showed himself along with his powerful Quincy army and sieged the entire Soul Society. All the strategies and arrangements employed by the Seireitei for tracking down the Quincies beforehand and preventing them from entering the Soul Society failed miserably. Genryusai Yamamoto and all other Captains had left with no other option except fighting to the death because it was clear that Quincies were going to win the war. The main reason behind such a miserable condition of the Soul Society was an Acolyte of Satan whose name was Guido Szandor. All this time, Guido Szandor was guiding and aiding the Quincy army due to some unknown motives.

When Genryusai and the remaining Captains were very close to their defeat, Soul King himself descended from his palace along with the Zeroth Squad and they proved to be the game-changers in this battle. The clash of Soul King with Yhwach and Guido Szandor released such powerful shockwaves that terribly disturbed the flow of energy not only in the Soul Society but also in the World of the Living, Hueco Mundo and the entire realm of spirits. This disturbance of energy was powerful enough to weaken not just humans but even powerful beings such as Yokais.

**The western region of Classical Japan (Heian Period)…**

An immensely powerful Serpent Demon viz. Orochi appeared mysteriously along with his minions, castle, remnants of the buildings and structures of his lair, and an Acolyte of Satan, Nergal Meslamstea. Nobody was able to understand the actual purpose behind the genocide of both Yokais and the humans, led by Orochi and his minions under the guidance of that Acolyte. No Yokai, human empire or group was powerful enough to face the Serpent Demon's monstrous power but a Daiyokai stood firm to oppose this atrocity. He was none other but Toga, famous by the titles Inu no Taisho and the Great Dog Demon. It was that time when Toga somehow managed to wield a blade from Hell i.e. the sword known as So'unga.

When Toga couldn't stop Orochi even by using So'unga then he received help from the most unexpected sources. The famous priestess Midoriko came to aid his efforts, along with several other powerful priestesses and remarkable monks. Even after knowing the power of the enemy and danger in battling against, Toga and Midoriko didn't take even a single step back and eventually they received reinforcement from the Jade Empire, a kingdom of spiritually advanced and enlightened beings. This devastating war simply enhanced the deathly effect of the war between the Brotherhood of Light and the Lords of Shadow.

In the end, the combined forces of Toga, Midoriko, priestesses, monks and the Jade Warriors dominated both Orochi and Nergal Meslamstea but couldn't put an end to them. Midoriko then created Shikon Jewel ending up sealing herself with an immensely powerful Daiyokai. Jade Warriors then sealed Orochi along with his legion, castle and other structures in a dimensional prison and assigned Shikon Jewel as the source of that prison's strength while Nergal Meslamstea managed to escape.

**Dog Demon's Palace…**

Amidst the war with all the destructive energy plaguing not only the entire earth but also the spiritual plane, Inukimi, the wife of Toga was undergoing the labor pains. She was herself a Daiyokai and also one of the very few lucky women whose child survived the entire phase of pregnancy.

She was lying down on a silky carpet on the ground while midwives were surrounding her along with some maids who were assisting them.

"Our queen is a powerful Daiyokai, maybe that's why her child is still alive," one of the maids murmured in a low voice. "You are right, it's been several months, I haven't heard of even a single birth not just among us demons but among humans as well," the other maid replied.

A midwife heard them and spoke, "it is due to some sort of destructive energy intoxicating the environment where even weak humans and Yokais are dying then how come an infant would survive such pressure."

"I… I am afraid that our queen's baby won't be able to survive this either, yesterday, I heard of the death of a Daiyokai child, he was just two years old and even then couldn't survive this wretched phase," the second midwife responded.

A maid spoke further while getting involved in the conversation, "I even heard of horrible things happening with the babies the moment they are coming out..." suddenly she had to shut her mouth upon receiving a furious and shouting response from Inukimi herself, "SHUT UP! Shut up, every single one of you… uh"

"Aaaaarrgghh…" Inukimi groaned loudly due to labor pains and upon noticing her, an elderly midwife spoke, "please, don't heed these foolish words my lady, focus on your condition and your child," she caressed her forehead gently while uttering.

"Nothing… aaarrrggh, nothing will happen to my child… Selene, the Goddess of Moon..uuhh, she will protect my baby, I know," Inukimi spoke in a painful voice during the labor pains.

Afterward, each of the midwife and maid began to focus on her seriously because her situation was getting critical due to extended labor pains which were slowly becoming unbearable for her. However, soon enough the difficult phase ended and the next moment, the entire hall got filled with the delightful ringing of the baby's cry.

"Congratulations my lady, our prince has arrived," the elderly midwife muttered happily while handing over the infant to his mother, Inukimi.

Inukimi, hold her child the first time and made him lie down gently in her lap and noticed that he was born with a similar mark of the crescent moon just like she was given by Selene. Strangely, the recent life-threatening condition of the environment seemed to have absolutely no effect on him. "Thank you so much, Selene… for protecting my child," Inukimi whispered before she placed a loving kiss on the baby's forehead, right on the mark of the crescent moon while the tears were flowing down from her cheeks.

All the eyes were stuck on the child who was lying comfortably in his mother's lap, "our prince seems to be so handsome," one of the maids muttered, "and powerful as well," the other maid muttered as well.

"Now you will have to think of a nice name for the prince, my lady." the elderly midwife spoke curiously while smiling with joy.

A smile appeared on Inukimi's lips as if she had already decided a name for him, "I was just going to declare this… he will be known as… Sesshomaru!" Inukimi murmured happily while lifting her son up in her arms before hugging him lovingly.

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**To be continued…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 2: History**

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All the eyes were stuck on the child who was lying comfortably in his mother's lap, "our prince seems to be so handsome," one of the maids muttered, "and powerful as well," the other maid muttered as well.

"Now you will have to think of a nice name for the prince, my lady." the elderly midwife spoke curiously while smiling with joy.

A smile appeared on Inukimi's lips as if she had already decided a name for him, "I was just going to declare this… he will be known as… Sesshomaru!" Inukimi murmured happily while lifting her son up in her arms before hugging him lovingly.

**_A week after those three colossal wars_**

Being slightly disconnected from the outer world, the environment of Dog Demon's palace remained pleasant throughout the week due to the birth of the new heir. Insider her chamber, Inukimi was lying right beside the little Sesshomaru on the bed and was having a sweet time while playing and pampering him. Suddenly her attention was caught by the footsteps which seemed to be heading towards her chamber.

It was none other but the father of the newborn prince, i.e. Inu no Taisho, after seeing whom, Inukimi's expressions changed slightly from the joyful to serious ones. Toga noticed that change as well but the first sight of his newborn child filled his heart with such happiness that he ignored his wife's expressions.

Soon enough a feminine voice echoed in the chamber, "it seems that you finally get the time for your child, the Great Dog Demon!" Inukimi spoke while reflecting the disappointment from her tone as she referred him with a title that was unusual for her to utter. "Inukimi, you won't believe if I will tell you about the horrors we faced on the battlefield this time and what kind of warriors participated in the battle, you know the popular priestess Mido…" Toga responded to her through an explanation upon noticing that she was seriously upset with him this time but he was interrupted in the middle as she spoke further coldly, "I don't want to know anything."

Now Toga gently held his child in his hands and lifted him up happily in his arms while smiling constantly out of great happiness. He couldn't help but spoke with slight excitement, "Look, my dear, he didn't even cry. It seems that he has recognized his father in the very first meeting." Inukimi got up from the bed and walked towards her husband in order to take the little Sesshomaru away from him, "or perhaps my child doesn't bother being held even by you," she responded.

"I thought our relationship will become smooth after the birth of our kid," Toga muttered while looking towards his wife with serious expressions. "Give him to me, I need to feed him," Inukimi demanded while utterly ignoring what he just said to her. "Hmm… but he isn't even crying now Inukimi, let me spend some time with him at least," Toga asked her in a polite manner, "after all, I have to think of a name for my prince as well," he added just to ease the environment.

"So, do you want me to wait for him to cry out of hunger?... besides, I have already given him a name," Inukimi replied to him while taking little Sesshomaru back from his father. "Oh! What is it, my dear?" Toga asked curiously. "Sesshomaru…" she replied as she sat down on the bed with little Sesshomaru lying in her lap.

"Why did you choose this name, Inukimi?" Toga asked her in a serious manner while she answered him immediately, "the day and the times when he took birth, I heard and saw nothing except annihilation and destruction of lives, and hence I gave this name to my son." Toga didn't say anything but begin to ponder over her words, "I hope that my son will be powerful enough to bring about such destruction," she added.

"I would rather have a son who can save people from such destruction instead of causing it." Inu no Taisho replied to her in a slightly strict manner before leaving the chamber.

**_Around 5 years later (11_****_th_****_ Century)_**

**Bernhard's Castle…**

The region of Bernhard's Castle remained silent only for a few years after the great war between the Brotherhood of Light and the Lords of Shadow. Everyone was under the impression that Gabriel Belmont died after killing the three Lords of Shadow but he surprised all of them by reappearing in the castle with a new name and a new form, i.e. Dracul. Now he was the Prince of Darkness and the new lord of the castle as well as of the entire legion of all the creatures of darkness that survived the war or resurrected by him.

Brotherhood of Light, on the other hand, had lost its edge due to the heavy destruction of its army in the previous war and also because of the absence of a powerful evil force for which they can prepare themselves with dedication. However, with the rise of Dracul, Brotherhood of Light started to reform and strengthen itself to the point where it can stand against the power of the Dragon who was now feared by all in the region.

**_Around 20 years after Dracul came into existence_**

It took them 20 years to gather their lost strength and this time the soldiers of the Brotherhood of Light were being led by none other but Gabriel's own son, Trevor Belmont. However, it seemed that the re-established strength of Brotherhood of Light was none like the former times while Trevor Belmont couldn't withstand the power of his father as well.

The forces of the Brotherhood of Light were defeated in a miserable manner while Trevor found death by the hands of Dracul himself. Soon after killing his own son, Dracul realized the loss which he had brought upon himself and then his wrath destroyed the entire army of Brotherhood of Light, once and for all. Later, he carried out a blood ritual on Trevor's corpse and then mummified it in a hope of his resurrection with great power and immortality.

**_Around 400 years later (15_****_th_****_ Century)_**

Dracul reigned more than 350 years and one day his castle was invaded by a powerful and massive army of the Angels. It was a war that Angels waged upon him in the name of vanquishing the evil from the face of the earth. Although the Prince of Darkness stood firm during this war, his army and the castle suffered immense damage. It was during this war when Trevor came out of his coffin as a mighty pure-blooded vampire with a new form and a name i.e. Alucard. Afterward, Dracul, Alucard, their castle and all the survived creatures of darkness disappeared in the blink of an eye into the thin air. None including humans, Demons, or even Angels understood that what happened to them or where did they disappear all of a sudden.

**The western region of Feudal Japan…**

More than 400 years had passed since the day Sesshomaru took birth and now he had turned into an adult Daiyokai, who was equally attractive as much as he was powerful. Throughout his childhood, he remained far more attached and influenced by his mother than his father because Inukimi raised him this way. On the other hand, Toga died several years ago while battling against Takemaru in order to save his human lover and second wife Izayoi. The reason behind his death remained a mystery for everyone because he was too powerful to be killed by the hands of a mere human.

However, before his death, the past two decades proved to be dramatic not only for Toga and Izayoi but also for Inukimi and Sesshomaru. Inukimi at one point allowed Sesshomaru to go away from her so that he can reform the scattered empire of his father. During one of his conquests, Sesshomaru confronted Izayoi under such circumstances that he couldn't hate her even though she was a human and moreover the second wife of his father. After a few unintentional meetings, Izayoi even began to lie to her lover Toga in order to meet Sesshomaru. Since Izayoi used to treat Sesshomaru like her son ever since she met him the first time thus their bond proved to be slightly harmful for Sesshomaru's relation with his real mother.

After Toga's death, Izayoi was forced to live with the humans due to which her interaction with Sesshomaru lowered drastically. This impacted Sesshomaru's mind quite adversely and slowly he developed a strong dislike towards humans. He also deduced that Izayoi left him because of her Hanyo (half-yokai and half-human) son and hence he developed a great disliking towards Hanyos especially Inuyasha. Over time, Sesshomaru turned into a cold-hearted killing machine which Inukimi saw as a sign of being powerful and thus she never bothered speaking to him about it.

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**To be continued…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 3: The Reflection or the Reality**

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Since Izayoi used to treat Sesshomaru like her son ever since she met him the first time thus their bond proved to be slightly harmful for Sesshomaru's relation with his real mother.

After Toga's death, Izayoi was forced to live with the humans due to which her interaction with Sesshomaru lowered drastically. This impacted Sesshomaru's mind quite adversely and slowly he developed a strong dislike towards humans. He also deduced that Izayoi left him because of her Hanyo (half-yokai and half-human) son and hence he developed a great disliking towards Hanyos especially Inuyasha. Over time, Sesshomaru turned into a cold-hearted killing machine which Inukimi saw as a sign of being powerful and thus she never bothered speaking to him about it.

**_A few years later_**

Izayoi died of sickness and left young Inuyasha behind while Sesshomaru gained Tensaiga after which he solely concentrated on his aim of supreme conquest. Several years passed like this, he also gained two comrades in the form of a small Toad-Demon named Jaken and a two-headed Dragon Yokai while on the other hand, Inuyasha grew up and met a priestess named Kikyo who was the guardian of the Shikon Jewel and popularly considered as the reincarnation of Midoriko. There were several times when Inuyasha and Kikyo got the chance of working together and soon they developed feelings for each other.

**Eastern region of Feudal Japan…**

Sesshomaru recently defeated a huge Octopus Yokai and now he was passing through a dense forest along with both of his companions i.e. Jaken and the two-headed dragon Yokai. The blood of that Octopus Yokai was actually a sticky black liquid that had dirtied his clothes during the battle. It was getting hard for Jaken to continue walking beside his lord due to the stench which was coming from that Yokai's blood.

"Amm… Lo..Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken spoke hesitatingly upon getting tired of holding his breaths and making weird faces to avoid the unbearable odor. Sesshomaru continued to walk and responded without even looking at the Toad Demon, "What is it, Jaken?"

Jaken gathered some courage and decided to complain indirectly, "I think… that Octopus Yokai was quite umm… stinky, isn't it?" he muttered while slightly trembling with fear. "It doesn't matter… he is no more now," Sesshomaru spoke while clearly showing his disinterest.

Disappointed by the fact that Sesshomaru wasn't interested in understanding him, Jaken decided to take the risk of complaining directly, "I..I mean to say… fighting him has made our clothes pretty stinky too… umm… maybe," Jaken spoke with the last ounce of the courage he had left with. Now Sesshomaru stopped and stared at Jaken with his cold golden eyes, which was enough to utterly terrorize him. "We will stop as soon as we find a river or a lake," Sesshomaru spoke in an emotionless manner before he resumed walking while Jaken took a deep breath as he was greatly relieved that his complaint didn't turn out to be hazardous for him.

Soon enough they came across a river and just as Sesshomaru decided, all of them stopped there to take a bath. Sesshomaru put his clothes along with the Tensaiga on top of a nearby rock and then he stepped into the water. On the other hand, Jaken and the two-headed dragon Yokai sat down at the place where the water was shallow.

Suddenly all of them noticed a tiny white object which just fell into the river out of nowhere. Sesshomaru sensed a strange kind of spiritual pressure from it and hence he immediately took a dive into the river in order to investigate it. Within a few minutes, that tiny object was in his grasp and it seemed to be a piece of bone while the spiritual pressure was extremely weak like that of the remnant energy of a corpse or a detached limb. "This energy doesn't belong to a Yokai, nor to a priestess or monk then whose bone is this?" Sesshomaru whispered while holding it in his hand but before he could have arrived on a conclusion, the sound of blasts caught his attention and he immediately rushed towards the surface.

Soon enough he came out of the river and witnessed the signs of great devastation in the surroundings. Trees, rocks, and even the ground were seemed to be scorched and damaged by some sort of powerful spirit energy while both Jaken and the two-headed dragon Yokai sustained some injuries as well. "Lord Sesshomaru!... Lord Sesshomaru!… You came… please stop those monsters," Jaken cried while rushing towards his lord upon seeing him. Sesshomaru moved his sight all around and noticed that his Tensaiga was gone, "Where's my Tensaiga?" he asked Jaken in a serious tone. The Toad Yokai tried to anticipate his lord's anger and hence answered in a low voice, "They stole it My Lord… they were neither Yokais nor Hanyos… all of them had a hole somewhere in their torso and they were also wearing masks and armor made up of bone-like material."

Sesshomaru began to ponder over Jaken's words and murmured "Monsters but neither Yokai nor Hanyo… interesting!" He immediately prepared himself to pursue them after ordering both Jaken the two-headed Dragon Yokai to stay out of it. "Wait, Lord Sesshomaru! Let us come as well… it could be dangerous my lord," Jaken pleaded in a loud voice as Sesshomaru rushed towards those monsters in his light orb form.

He took some time but he managed to track down those creatures through their strange spiritual pressure. Now he was close enough to be able to see them but they were still away from his grasp. "Strange! Their spiritual pressure is almost as violent and powerful as a Yokai's and yet it doesn't seem to belong to the one," He whispered while carefully observing their spiritual pressure. Soon enough those creatures reached the Bone Eater's well and jumped inside it one by one due to which Sesshomaru became highly suspicious of them because everyone had heard the rumors about Bone Eater's well being a dimensional portal.

Upon reaching close to the Bone-eater's well, he reverted back into his humanoid form and jumped inside it without wasting any moment. By now those creatures had already disappeared inside the well while Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was experiencing a free fall in an endless space with lots of light surrounding him. "Is this really some sort of dimensional portal?" Sesshomaru murmured while witnessing that the endless space started to become darker very swiftly.

**_Around 40 years ago (20_****_th_****_ Century)_**

**Inside the storeroom of Kagome's house…**

Everything inside the Bone Eater's well turned to normal once again and Sesshomaru found himself standing at the base of it. Now he came out of that well and noticed that he was actually inside the storeroom of a house. His sight caught the interiors of that room and the objects kept around, none of which seemed to belong to his time. After what he experienced inside the well it didn't take him long to deduce that the Bone-eater's well had indeed brought him into another world which was actually the same world but 500 years ahead in time. However, as soon as he recalled the purpose for which he jumped in the Bone Eater's well, he immediately came out of that storeroom and rushed in the direction from which he was sensing the spiritual pressure of those creatures.

The moment he rushed out of Kagome's house, he felt the spiritual pressure of an Inu Daiyokai due to which he immediately stopped and looked in that direction. "I was expecting you..." a beggar who was sitting in front of Kagome's house muttered upon seeing Sesshomaru. His lower half face was barely visible since his entire body was well covered with an old blanket while a few strands of his long silvery-white hairs were also covering the face. After observing him well Sesshomaru decided to interrogate him instead of pursuing those monsters, "You are an Inu Daiyokai, aren't you? Who are you?" he asked. "My identity will be revealed eventually if fate has willed it so but for now, you should focus on finding the Tensaiga." The beggar replied to him in a serious tone. "Hmm… he even knows about my purpose moreover about the Tensaiga, just who is this Daiyokai and what is he doing here?" Sesshomaru whispered in his mind while staring at that beggar.

He easily figured that Sesshomaru must be wondering about him and thus he spoke, "my guidance won't make any difference but still I will tell you… go straight in the south until you reach Karakura town." So, my Tensaiga is in Karakura town?" Sesshomaru asked him. The beggar slowly tilted his face upward to stare at him and then spoke in a low voice, "No, but it is where your destiny lies." Sesshomaru didn't ask anything further but instead, he adopted his light orb form and disappeared from there.

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**To be continued…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 4: High Alert**

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"Hmm… he even knows about my purpose moreover about the Tensaiga, just who is this Daiyokai and what is he doing here?" Sesshomaru whispered in his mind while staring at that beggar.

He easily figured that Sesshomaru must be wondering about him and thus he spoke, "my guidance won't make any difference but still I will tell you… go straight in the south until you reach Karakura town." So, my Tensaiga is in Karakura town?" Sesshomaru asked him. The beggar slowly tilted his face upward to stare at him and then spoke in a low voice, "No, but it is where your destiny lies." Sesshomaru didn't ask anything further but instead, he adopted his light orb form and disappeared from there.

**Department of Research and Development, Soul Society…**

It was a large building with multiple chambers containing the most advanced technology of the Soul Society with various devices and instruments. Hundreds of the squad members were working on their respective panels inside the surveillance chamber of the building. Suddenly, one of them got up from his seat and rushed towards Lieutenant Akon's cabin who was also working on a control panel along with his assistants.

That squad member was clearly in panic and he whispered something to Lieutenant Akon which not just shocked him but also made him quite worried. Lieutenant Akon immediately commanded the radar to display the live streaming of the northern outskirts of the Karakura town. As the screen in front of him started displaying, they saw Sesshomaru, who was moving towards Karakura town in his light orb form.

Lieutenant Akon quickly pressed some buttons and the next moment, radar displayed Sesshomaru's approximate power level along with its structure upon seeing which everyone present there got utterly scared and confused. Lieutenant Akon wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Ca..Captain… damn! He is not here… somebody… somebody, report this to Captain Kurotsuchi, immediately!" he shouted at his assistants. Upon receiving the instructions in such a manner, some of the squad members immediately rushed towards the chamber of Mayuri Kurotsuchi with a printout of the displayed information while the environment of the entire surveillance chamber turned from peaceful to chaotic as the news spread.

**Laboratory of Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the building of the 12****th**** Division…**

Mayuri Kurotsuchi was sitting on his hi-tech chair and having a tea while Nemu Kurotsuchi was standing right beside him. All of a sudden, some of his squad members came running to him without realizing that they just entered his laboratory without permission. "Did you forget that I can turn all of you into specimens for my experiments as a punishment for entering here without my permission," Kurotsuchi spoke in an intimidating manner as he got up from his seat, "Nemu, capture all of them," he added as he ordered his Lieutenant.

She immediately responded to the order of her Captain and the next moment, when her hands were only a few inches away from the already scared squad members, one of them spoke in a miserable tone, "Wait, wait! Please stop her Captain, we are here because Soul Society is in trouble." "I see… it better be because if it is not then you all are definitely going to be in the trouble," Mayuri narrowed his eyes as he spoke to them with utter seriousness. And as he did, one of the squad members handed him over that printout without wasting any second. The information seemed to be enough to widen his eyes with immense curiosity and responsibility at the same time.

"Amazing! this is truly amazing… we have found something so powerful and yet it is neither a Shinigami nor a Hollow nor even a Quincy. I would have loved to pay a visit to Karakura town personally but the power level of that light orb is making this entire issue quite critical and hence I am bound to wait for Head Captain's instructions before responding to it," Mayuri Kurotsuchi murmured abruptly with the excitement but also with a disappointment of unable to do about it as he please. "Ca..Captain!" The squad members uttered hesitatingly in a very low voice. "Oh! Yes… Nemu, spare their pathetic lives," Mayuri ordered her after which she backed off immediately. "Thank you, Captain… thank you so, much… you are very kind, "all those Shinigamis murmured while bowing down to Mayuri and then they immediately ran away from the laboratory without wasting any moment.

**Head Captain's Chamber, the building of the 1st Division…**

As usual, Genryusai Yamamoto was sitting on his chair which was located at a corner of his huge chamber. He was busy with the paperwork when the messenger arrived there. "Head Captain, there is a top priority confidential message for you from the Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi," the messenger spoke while sitting in front of the table on which Genryusai was doing the paperwork. "Hmm… confidential?" Head Captain murmured as he got up from his chair and approached the messenger in order to grab the report. He remained on his one knee while Genryusai took the papers from his hands and began to read it. Both of his eyes got opened with the shock as he read those papers while it seemed that the details were also reminding him of something very important which he kept hidden from almost everyone in the Gotei 13.

"This orb of light is undoubtedly a Yokai and it is truly unexpected to witness one after all the measures we took… how come such a powerful Yokai managed to escape Soul King's plan?" Head Captain spoke to himself in a very low voice. "Any instructions for us, Sir?" The messenger asked after waiting for a few minutes. Genryusai stared at him as he snapped out of his deep thoughts and replied, "Leave! I will take care of this matter myself." As soon as the messenger left, the Head Captain uttered further with determination and strictness in his tone, "I am one of those selected Shinigamis who were given the responsibility of keeping Yokais away from ourselves as well as from the Hollows. Now I will have to enforce this sacred law established by the Soul King himself, one last time."

**Urahara Shop in the Karakura town, World of the Living…**

It was midnight already and Urahara was busy cleaning the interiors of his shop while Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu were cleaning the lawn in front of it. Yoruichi, on the other hand, was upset with Urahara for some reason and thus she locked herself away in a room.

Suddenly a Hell Butterfly appeared nearby Urahara and conveyed him the message from the Head Captain. "Oh! It is clearly an emergency… Yoruichi-san!" Urahara murmured upon realizing the seriousness of the situation and then he loudly called for her. Yoruichi was too upset to listen to him, "leave me alone, Kisuke! Don't try to disturb me if you love your bones," she shouted back at him furiously. Stunned by her angry response, he swallowed before making another attempt of convincing her, "I apologize for stealing your flower, Yoruichi-san… it's a message from Head Captain, please listen to me." Yoruichi realized that she must know that message since it was coming from the Head Captain himself. "Hmm… what is it?" she replied after a break.

She found Urahara standing in front of her room the moment she opened the door and then she stared at him in a serious manner, waiting for him to elaborate the entire message. "It is a top priority but secret message… a powerful energy orb has entered Karakura town and he wants us to dispose of it before it can create any significant havoc," he explained the situation to her.

"Alright then, let's go but first, at least tell me why did you pluck that flower when you knew that I was taking care of it for months?" Yoruichi asked him after calming herself down in order to understand his reasons behind such an act. At first, Urahara got nervous but decided to answer despite his great hesitation, "Well, amm… I thought it would be useful in my experiments." After listening to his words, she became even more upset than she already was but decided to give him one last chance, "what kind of experiment was that, it must be something very important, isn't it?" she asked while holding her anger on the brink. Urahara spoke even more nervously, "he he he… it was just amm… important… yes, it was an important experiment… a pill to get rid of the upset stomach once and for all." The next moment a tight punch on his face sent him flying through the entire corridor, "Kisuke! You are a horrible person, ugh... I am going out to hunt that orb down; we are going to work separately this time," She replied angrily in the frustration and immediately left to find that energy orb which was actually none other but Sesshomaru himself.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 5: Soul Reapers Meet Daiyokai**

* * *

After listening to his words, she became even more upset than she already was but decided to give him one last chance, "what kind of experiment was that, it must be something very important, isn't it?" she asked while holding her anger on the brink. Urahara spoke even more nervously, "he he he… it was just amm… important… yes, it was an important experiment… a pill to get rid of the upset stomach once and for all." The next moment a tight punch on his face sent him flying through the entire corridor, "Kisuke… you are a horrible person, ugh… I am going out to hunt that orb down; we are going to work separately this time." She replied him angrily in frustration and immediately left to find that energy orb which was actually none other but Sesshomaru himself.

* * *

**A deserted industrial area at the northern outskirts of Karakura town…**

Yoruichi didn't take too long to reach the outskirts of Karakura town. She was sensing the powerful energy of that light orb from a deserted area which was extremely vast and full of old abandoned factories, most of them in the form of ruins. After reaching there, she stood on a water-tank situated on top of a multi-storeyed building. The presence of Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure had suppressed the spiritual pressures of all those Hollows who were hiding there and thus she was under the impression that she was alone there. Soon enough she found herself surrounded by a large number of Hollows and all of them looking quite desperate to devour a powerful female Shinigami such as her.

Upon sensing the danger, she immediately began to charge her spirit energy in order to unleash her Shunko. However, before she could have attacked those Hollows, a big orb of light destroyed several of those in no time, just by touching them while moving in circles all around her. After witnessing such annihilation of their comrades, the remaining Hollows got terrorized and ran away from there and now Yoruichi was the only one who was left standing there, staring at that orb of light in the wonderment which was hovering right in front of her. Her mind was clouded as she was ordered to destroy the same thing which just saved her from the Hollows. She was wondering whether that orb tried to protect her or it simply destroyed anything in its path but then why it didn't attack her.

Amidst the storms of all these thoughts, suddenly she heard a voice, "Yoruichi-san… fall back!" Urahara shouted loudly as he appeared at a great height in the sky, right above that light orb, at a sophisticated distance away from it. "Shibari, Benihime!" he murmured while launching condensed energy in the form of a tangible blood-red net generated from the blade length. He kept on throwing it on that orb from all sides with a slashing motion from his Zanpakuto. Within no time, several layers of that net bind Sesshomaru's light orb form from all directions, restricting his movements completely.

Yoruichi wasn't liking the idea of destroying that orb without a strong reason but only for the sake of order and hence she shouted at him, "Kisuke, stop it! I think this orb is not evil plus it doesn't seem only energy but a being." However, he didn't stop even after her request, "you must be clearly sensing its spiritual pressure, it's even more than that of four average Bankais combined and yet it neither seems to belong to a Shinigami nor a Hollow… sparing it can be deadly for us," he replied. "At least let me try, Kisuke." She insisted but was ignored once again by him just like before.

Now Urahara landed on top of a nearby building from which a strip of that blood-red net was attached, "Hiasobi, Benihime!" he murmured while stabbing the net with the tip of Benihime, creating orbs of fire along the outside length of the net. Suddenly he noticed a sudden rise in the spiritual pressure of that light orb and thus without wasting any moment, he uttered, "Juzustunagi!" and the next moment all the fire orbs began to explode like linked land-mines in a domino formation, leading towards Sesshomaru's light orb form which was bound under the net. However, before the exploding orbs could have reached any closer to him, he abandoned his light orb form following by a powerful burst whose shockwaves shattered the entire net due to which a large area was caught into those fiery blasts.

Even both Urahara and Yoruichi got caught by the chaos that prevailed afterward those blasts and lost sight of Sesshomaru. "Get ready with your Shunko Yoruichi-san… I don't think that thing is dead yet," Urahara asked Yoruichi while both of them were trying to get revived from the dust and smoke that surrounded them. Yoruichi sighed since she didn't want to hurt that light orb, "I really don't want to do this dirty work," she spoke as she activated her Shunko.

Now she rushed out of those dust clouds with her incredible speed in order to attack Sesshomaru but stopped in the middle upon getting shocked by witnessing his humanoid form. On the other hand, Sesshomaru used his demonic speed due to which he seemed to get disappeared from his location and the next moment Yoruichi was shocked to realize that her wrist was caught in his firm grip even though her Shunko form was active. In no time, her Shunko fell significantly weaker because of his overwhelming demonic energy. However, upon arriving in physical contact with Sesshomaru, she realized that the nature of his spirit energy was slightly closer to that of the nature of the working energy behind the Kido techniques which Shinigami use while he noticed the same and began to wonder about both Urahara and Yoruichi.

"Scream, Benihime!" Urahara spoke while firing strong and destructive crimson-colored energy blasts through a sword's swing. Sesshomaru pushed Yoruichi away upon seeing that energy blast approaching him which he deflected by a fierce release of his demonic energy. Now Sesshomaru summoned poison in his right hand and rushed towards Urahara with immense speed. "Blood Mist Shield!" He murmured abruptly while summoning a hexagonal protective shield at the end moment upon anticipating that the demon was approaching him to attack with considerably high force.

Sesshomaru punched the Blood Mist Shield with his immense demonic strength while using his poison claw simultaneously due to which the entire Blood Mist Shield got shattered like a piece of glass. Although that protective shield saved Urahara from the direct hit it couldn't save him from the force of that impact and fumes of Sesshomaru's poison which splattered all around. Urahara began to fall down from the sky by the force of the demon's powerful strike while he had also received some burns due to the poison. On the other hand, the counterattack from Blood Mist Shield also inflicted several minor scratches on Sesshomaru's body.

"Kisuke!" Yoruichi shouted as she witnessed that Urahara was falling down to the ground. She immediately rushed towards him but stopped in the middle because Sesshomaru was standing in the way. She stared at him for a few seconds in an expectation of an attack but he didn't attack her. Now she immediately reached to the ground without wasting any moment in order to check on Urahara. "Their spiritual pressure was none like those monsters who stole my Tensaiga, I shouldn't waste my time on them." Sesshomaru murmured to himself while once again adopting the form of the orb of light and then he disappeared from there.

Yoruichi helped Urahara in getting up and then she asked with concern, "Are you alright, Kisuke?" Urahara replied with a smile, "of course, these are only some minor burns but look at this," he showed his Zanpakuto to her. "Oh! No… Benihime's blade seems to have taken some damage during the battle," she said while observing his Zanpakuto. "Yes, it seems that fighting against him without Bankai is not a good idea because even the spiritual pressure of my Shikai wasn't enough to keep his poison away from Benihime's blade," Urahara spoke while staring at his Zanpakuto's blade. Yoruichi looked towards the sky and sighed, "I am glad that he has left… since I didn't want to fight him without a solid reason." Urahara looked towards her and spoke, "even I am glad that he did since my sword no longer seem to be in the condition of battling against someone like him," he smiled and added, "anyways, it seems that we are up against a formidable enemy this time… it's good that before arriving here, I put my devices on scanning mode… we should go back immediately and check the details of this guy… 12th Squad in Soul Society must have analyzed him as well by now." Urahara replied to her and then both of them returned to The Urahara Shop.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 6: Sesshomaru VS Shinigamis I**

* * *

Yoruichi looked towards the sky and sighed, "I am glad that he has left… since I didn't want to fight him without a solid reason." Urahara looked towards her and spoke, "even I am glad that he did since my sword no longer seem to be in the condition of battling against someone like him," he smiled and added, "anyways, it seems that we are up against a formidable enemy this time… it's good that before arriving here, I put my devices on scanning mode… we should go back immediately and check the details of this guy… 12th Squad in Soul Society must have analyzed him as well by now." Urahara replied to her and then both of them returned to the Urahara Shop.

* * *

**The next morning, Urahara Shop…**

Kisuke Urahara spent the entire night in the study of the data which his devices collected by reading Sesshomaru during the battle. He also tried to repair the blade of his Zanpakuto but couldn't fix it completely since he was lacking the appropriate resources needed for that task. He was yawning while making several plans in his mind about how he is going to fix his Zanpakuto and know more about Sesshomaru. By now Yoruichi had woken up and soon she entered his room with the two mugs of coffee in her hands.

"What's going on Kisuke?" She asked in a normal tone. He was relieved to notice that she was no longer upset with him. "It's nothing Yoruichi-san, I was just trying to fix my Zanpakuto but it seems that I don't have the perfect equipment to do it," Urahara replied to her as she handed him over his coffee. "Hmm… besides, it seems as if you were awake throughout the night." Yoruichi said to him upon observing his tired eyes. "Yes, actually I was studying everything which my devices managed to capture last night… he is truly different from the humans, us, Hollows, and Quincies... as if he is from a whole different world but oddly there is a little similarity in the functioning of our Kido energy and his spirit energy." Urahara replied.

"But why it is so, Kisuke? In fact, I also felt this similarity when he grabbed my wrist during the battle." Yoruichi asked curiously and then she mentioned another fact which supported Urahara's conclusion. "I can't say anything yet Yoruichi-san but if this similarity is really there then perhaps, he sensed this similarity as well and maybe that's why he didn't attack you and later preferred to leave instead of continuing the battle." He replied her while pondering about last night's battle.

Now both Urahara and Yoruichi moved towards the deepest room of the shop where they had a big screen and a control panel connected with it. As soon as they turned it on, Head Captain Genryusai Yamamoto was ready on the other end to have a word with them.

"Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin, I shouldn't have relied on you two for the extermination of that thing." Genryusai Yamamoto said in a strict tone. "But Head Captain, that… thing… is actually a being like us and it seems that he doesn't have anything against us since he wasn't looking interested in our battle," she replied him. "I have also seen how you two allowed him to escape." The Head Captain spoke further in a serious manner.

Now Urahara started to explain everything, "Head Captain, we didn't know that the sphere would come out to be a being with such a high battling capacity… moreover, he doesn't belong to any of the race in our knowledge, so how we could have…" but he couldn't complete his line due to the interference by the Head Captain. "I know what you two have faced last night and that's why I have dispatched a team of ten Lieutenant Level Shinigamis… cooperate with them and capture that being dead or alive." Genryusai Yamamoto replied to him.

"But Head Captain, neither has he harmed any human yet nor does he seem to be behind any Shinigami." Yoruichi said while intervening in the conversation which slightly annoyed the Head Captain and he immediately spoke in a rather strict tone, "Yoruichi Shihoin, I know that he has targeted only Hollows until now but do not use this fact as an excuse… if you can't cooperate with the dispatched team then try not getting in its way either... I want annihilation of this threat as soon as possible." The Head Captain immediately left the conversion after giving the final piece of instructions to both of them.

Urahara found Head Captain's reaction quite odd and he said to Yoruichi, "Why Head Captain is not concerned about his race? It is almost like as if he already knows about such beings." Yoruichi also felt suspicious of Genryusai's words, "Kisuke, I think Head Captain is trying to hide something from us," she replied him while expressing her doubts about the intentions of the Soul Society. "Don't worry Yoruichi-san, I will not rest until I uncover the truth of this situation… now I exactly know what we must do." He said to her with a confident smile on his face.

* * *

**Late night at the riverside park, Karakura town…**

Sesshomaru landed in the tranquil environment of the riverside park after finishing some more of the Hollows who were hiding in the Karakura town. "I have searched a significant portion of this city and killed hundreds of those creatures but still I do not have even a single clue about the Tensaiga. " Sesshomaru said while wondering about the whereabouts of those Hollows who stole his Tensaiga.

Suddenly a Senkai Gate appeared at a significant distance away from him and the next moment he noticed some humanoid shadows inside that gate. First of all Chojiro Sasakibe came out of it, following him Rukia Kuchiki, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, Rangiku Matsumoto, Shuhei Hisagi, Tetsuzaemon Iba, Izuru Kira, Renji Abarai, and Marechiyo Omaeda also walked out of that dimensional portal.

While Sesshomaru was still trying to figure out their intentions, all of them stood around him in a circle and slowly began to pull their respective Zanpakutos out of their sheaths. Chojiro Sasakibe spoke as he took the fighting stance with his Zanpakuto out, "Don't move… you will only end up making life hard for you." Marechiyo Omaeda added, "yeah, just do as we say." Rukia was observing Sesshomaru closely as he wasn't giving any sort of reaction despite being under siege by ten Lieutenant-level Shinigamis. "Something is not right about him," she murmured in a serious manner. "Yes Rukia, in fact, I was thinking the same," Rangiku responded to her. "So, you sensed that too, Rangiku?" Rukia asked her. "Indeed I did, he is just unbelievably handsome." Rangiku murmured while staring at Sesshomaru. Rukia frowned upon listening to Rangiku's words and replied, "that's not what I meant."

Now Renji spoke while interfering between them, "huh! It doesn't matter whether he is looking handsome or intimidating because soon I am going to chop him to pieces with my Zabimaru." Rukia said to him, "hmm… just watch out for any shortcomings."

Ikkaku, on the other hand, was getting restless to fight against Sesshomaru, "Hah! Stop the guesswork and let's start the fight already… we will get to know him eventually during the battle," he spoke abruptly. "If he is truly so strong then our Captain would love to battle against him," Yumichika responded as well with a smile. Sesshomaru was observing all of them and he had realized that none of them was strong enough to provide him with a decent challenge. "All of them seem to belong to the similar race to that of those two against whom I fought yesterday, I do not wish to gain unnecessary attention in this new world but for now neutralizing them is also important." He thought while looking at all those Shinigamis.

Now all of them rushed towards Sesshomaru in order to slash him with their Zanpakutos while he immediately unleashed his long yellowish-green glowing whip of energy in his hand and began to swirl it in the circular motion. The next moment, that energy whip clashed with the Zanpakutos of all those Shinigamis and it not only deflected their sword swings but also injured some of them. Before pulling his energy whip back into his nails, Sesshomaru gave it one strong swing which shoved Rukia away upon clashing with her Zanpakuto. All of them didn't even step back completely by now in order to plan their next move while this time Sesshomaru used his demonic speed and knocked Iba down with a strong punch on his jaw. Rukia, on the other hand, tried to get up in the injured state but couldn't, "are you alright, Rukia?" he asked with concern. "Ahhh… yes, I am fine, you have to be careful, Renji… he is strong." She replied while bleeding from her left shoulder.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 7: Sesshomaru VS Shinigamis II**

* * *

Before pulling his energy whip back into his nails, Sesshomaru gave it one strong swing which shoved Rukia away upon clashing with her Zanpakuto. All of them didn't even step back completely by now in order to plan their next move while this time Sesshomaru used his demonic speed and knocked Iba down with a strong punch on his jaw. Rukia, on the other hand, tried to get up in the injured state but couldn't, "are you alright, Rukia?" he asked with concern. "Ahhh… yes, I am fine, you have to be careful, Renji… he is strong." She replied while bleeding from her left shoulder.

* * *

Renji got extremely pissed upon noticing Rukia's injury, "I will kill you bastard, Hihio Zabimaru!" he spoke angrily as he unleashed his Zanpakuto. Chojiro Sasakibe noticed that the morale of the entire team was disturbed, "everyone, stay strong," he spoke while addressing all and then he also commanded the release of his Zanpakuto "Pierce, Gonryomaru!"

Now the rest of them looked towards each other and then Ikkaku said loudly, "Now it will be fun… extend, Hozukimaru!" After Ikkaku, Yumichika unleashed his Shikai as well, "Bloom, Fuji Kujaku!" he murmured. "Raise your head, Wabisuke!" Kira spoke as he released his Zanpakuto as well. Hisagi murmured as he released his Shikai, "Reap, Kazeshini!" "Crush, Gegetsuburi!" Omaeda screamed while unleashing his Zanpakuto. "Growl, Haineko!" Rangiku said as she released her Shikai.

First of all, Ikkaku stood in front of Sesshomaru and then the former swung his spear-shaped Zanpakuto with great momentum towards the later. Sesshomaru easily parried that swing by pushing it away with his bare hand. However, Hozukimaru turned into a three-sectional staff (Sansetsukon) but the Daiyokai countered it as well at the same time with the help of his energy whip. Ikkaku was shocked to witness the display of such incredible speed from Sesshomaru but before he could have attacked once again, the disc-like rotating blades of Kazeshini arrived very close to the Daiyokai. He immediately jumped high in the air and successfully dodged the Kazeshini blades while both Yumichika and Kira pursued him in the air. Sesshomaru countered Yumichika's sword swing with the help of a powerful blow from his claw which not only neutralized the Shinigami's attack but also pushed him towards the ground. Yumichika somehow managed to regain his stance in the mid-air and saved himself from getting crashed. "What kind of monster he is… he deflected my Fuji Kujaku's swing with his bare hand, I can't believe this," he murmured upon landing on the ground.

Whilst the blades of Kazeshini were still pursuing Sesshomaru in the mid-air, Kira approached him from behind but was caught by the sight of the Daiyokai. Now Sesshomaru allowed the Kazeshini blades to come closer to him and when they did, he used his demonic speed to grab the chains and then he pulled them in a way that Kira had to counter them with his Wabisuke. Since Sesshomaru was holding the chains hence he immediately sensed the increase in weight, the next moment, he hit Kira with those blades a few more times, making them heavier enough to make him crash in the ground along with them.

Now both Chojiro and Rangiku took a few steps back in order to have an opening to attack while Omaeda was simply unable to attack him out of hesitation caused by fear.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru landed on the ground after taking care of both Kira and Hisagi's Zanpakuto but now Renji was approaching him with great anger. He swung the extendable blade of Zabimaru on him which the Daiyokai deflected by using his energy whip. Renji immediately used flash step technique and came close to him for close-range battle. However, before he could have swung his sword on Sesshomaru, the later shoved him back by hitting him with a powerful kick on the chest.

Now he turned around and noticed that both Ikkaku and Yumichika were once again about to attack him. Just as they arrived close enough to him and swung their respective Zanpakutos, he used his poison claw technique and severely damaged their swords with a powerful clash while both of them also received some burns due to the splashed fumes of the poison.

Suddenly Rangiku's voice echoed, "Neko Rinbu!" The next moment, a cloud of ash enveloped Sesshomaru and then she began to move the hilt of her Zanpakuto as if she is cutting something. However, after sometime she realized that there wasn't a single cut on his body. "Your technique is not strong enough to penetrate my demonic energy." Sesshomaru said to Rangiku while casually walking out of the ash, scattering it away like normal ash by using some of his demonic energy. Now before she could have used any other technique, Sesshomaru directed the released demonic energy right on her in the form of a surge which not only neutralized her Zanpakuto but also shoved her a significant distance away.

Hisagi shouted upon seeing Rangiku in such a condition, "RANGIKU-SAN!" he shouted further at Sesshomaru, "Damn! You… Bakudo 62, Hyapporankan!" Whilst in the air, Hisagi generated a blue-white glowing rod of energy in his hand which he threw towards the Daiyokai. Suddenly the rod got multiplied into a hundred more rods, which started to rain down on him. However, the Bakudo technique proved to be useless against Sesshomaru's superior demonic abilities because he dodged each and every single rod which was thrown at him.

Hisagi was terribly shocked by the scenario and he couldn't believe that he managed to dodge all of them. The next moment he felt a tight rope-like grip around his neck which was actually Sesshomaru's energy whip. On the other hand, the Daiyokai noticed that Renji had got up and thus he didn't waste much time on Hisagi and shoved him very hard in the ground using the energy whip, making him unconscious.

Now he walked towards Marechiyo Omaeda who couldn't even move his body out of fear since he was clearly seeing the consequences of facing Sesshomaru all around him. However, Renji swung his extendable blade towards Sesshomaru from behind the moment he was about to hit Omaeda. The scared fat Shinigami used this opportunity to run away from the Daiyokai while the later grabbed Zabimaru with both of his claws and to Renji's surprise he ripped it off into multiple pieces.

Omaeda approached Chojiro Sasakibe and began to request him to use his Bankai while Sesshomaru, on the other hand, approaching unarmed Renji with cold and serious expressions on his face. "Master Genryusai's order will be followed at any cost… I will not hesitate to use any means in order to capture you." Chojiro spoke loudly and anxiously. "You dared to hurt Rukia… I won't spare you no matter how powerful you are… Higa Zekko!" Renji also muttered angrily while hitting the ground with his broken Zanpakuto. Now all the disconnected and broken segments of Zabimaru started to levitate in the air right above Sesshomaru while Chojiro's spiritual pressure was skyrocketing as he was about to release his Bankai.

Chojiro shouted loudly, "deal with this you monster… BANKAhhh!" Before he could have released his Bankai, Yoruichi hit his neck from behind with a powerful Karate chop which put him out of his senses for the time being. "Well, that was pretty easy," She said with a smile while standing right behind fallen Chojiro. "Bakudo 81, Danku!" Urahara's voice echoed and a rectangular invisible barrier appeared right above Sesshomaru which stopped the one shot omnidirectional attack of Renji before it could have hit him. Upon noticing that both Urahara and Yoruichi had interfered from his side, Sesshomaru murmured to them "that was an unnecessary interference."

"No, it was very necessary since these are our friends as well and we didn't want anyone of them to die by your hands," Yoruichi replied him. Sesshomaru responded to her words, "Hmm… fair enough." She added while smiling towards him, "and you don't seem to be a bad guy either so we didn't want our friends to hurt you as well."

"You have to admit that you don't know much about our world but we are willing to help you with all the information you need because even we want this matter to get resolved as soon as possible." Urahara said to Sesshomaru while later turned towards him, "with the least possible violence… however, we will need your cooperation to do this," the Shinigami added.

Yoruichi spoke while walking up to Sesshomaru, "he is right… come with us, to our home so that we can discuss the rest over there." Sesshomaru replied, "Hmm… very well." Now Urahara took out his cell-phone and called on his shop's number, "Tessai, come to the riverside park along with Jinta and Ururu… ten Shinigamis are lying unconscious over here, bring all of them to the shop… some of them seem to need medical attention as well."

* * *

**To be continued…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 8: A New Alliance**

* * *

Urahara said to Sesshomaru while later turned towards him, "with the least possible violence… however, we will need your cooperation to do this," the Shinigami added.

Yoruichi spoke while walking up to Sesshomaru, "he is right… come with us, to our home so that we can discuss the rest over there." Sesshomaru replied, "Hmm… very well." Now Urahara took out his cell-phone and called on his shop's number, "Tessai, come to the riverside park along with Jinta and Ururu… ten Shinigamis are lying unconscious over here, bring all of them to the shop… some of them seem to need medical attention as well."

* * *

**Later that night, the Urahara Shop…**

Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu had brought all the ten Shinigamis to the Urahara Shop. They were taking care of them and providing with the required medical treatment to those of them who needed it. On the other hand, Sesshomaru and Urahara were sitting in a separate room while Yoruichi was preparing food for everyone. She offered some food to Sesshomaru as well but he refused since he was only interested in the information which Urahara promised him back in the riverside park. "We weren't too far away from the place where you were fighting against our friends… it didn't take us much longer before we arrived there but I must say that you managed to beat them pretty badly in such a short time." Urahara said to Sesshomaru in a funny manner. "Hmm…!" he responded coldly on which Urahara smiled and then said, "uuh… it looks like you won't talk about anything except the important stuff."

After finishing all the chores, Yoruichi joined both of them as well, "okay, so let's begin with this… tell us about yourself… like, what's your name?" She asked him "Sesshomaru!" He replied. "Finally, you are talking to us." Urahara murmured while smiling. "So where is your home, Sesshomaru?" Yoruichi asked him further. He looked towards her then replied in his usual cold tone, "it doesn't concern you… once I find my sword, I will leave." Urahara murmured to himself upon listening to his words seriously, "hmm… so, he is simply searching for his sword and most probably he believes that it is stolen by the Hollows."

"So, umm… what are you exactly? I mean, it's obvious that you do not belong to either of the races about which we are aware of." Yoruichi asked Sesshomaru with great curiosity. "I am a Daiyokai." He replied to her. "OOOHH! You mean… you are a demon?" Urahara asked with great amazement. Yoruichi also spoke with a great wonderment, "I thought demons exist only in the mythology." Sesshomaru said further, "there are so many Yokais, almost as many as that of the humans, Hanyos are also there but the lowest in numbers are the Daiyokais, the most powerful ones among the Demons… we live in the same world as that of the humans but it seems that none of us left in your time." His words amazed Urahara even more than before and he couldn't help but ask abruptly, "in our time you said… are you trying to say that you belong to some other time?" Now he was curiously waiting for the answer. "After observing your world and the type of things available here… it seems I belong to your past, perhaps hundreds of years before your time." Sesshomaru replied after a small break.

"That's unbelievable but how did you manage to come in our time?" Urahara asked him further. "I came here through a well… in your time it is inside a house in a city which is located in the south from here." Sesshomaru answered. "Something like this exists in our world and yet we weren't even aware of it." Urahara murmured to himself. Now Sesshomaru took out a small piece of a remnant of Hollow-mask and spoke while handing it over to Urahara, "those Hollows who stole my sword, they dropped this near me." Urahara immediately took it to his technical devices in order to analyze it and came back after a few minutes. "This is a Hollow-mask remnant of a female Vasto Lorde, I wonder if she is the main culprit behind all this." He said to Sesshomaru and then he returned it back to him. "That means, I just need to find her but for this, I need all the information about her race and this new world," Sesshomaru spoke while putting that Hollow-mask remnant back in his kimono.

Afterward, they continued their discussion, Sesshomaru told them a lot of things about his time after knowing which Urahara concluded that he belongs to the Feudal Era, at least 500 years before their time. On the other hand, both Urahara and Yoruichi also told him a lot of things about their time and other worlds such as human development, Shinigami, Soul Society, Hollows, Hueco Mundo, etc. All of a sudden Urahara begin to stop talking and began to think about something in an extremely serious manner.

Yoruichi noticed him and asked, "what happened, Kisuke?" Urahara snapped out of his thoughts and replied, "It's nothing, Yoruichi-san!" She narrowed her eyes on him, "there's something, now say it," she insisted. "Yoruichi-san, if demons existed until 500 years ago then why didn't we ever find them? And why Soul Society doesn't have even a single record of their existence?" Urahara spoke while expressing his doubts which made her serious as well. "You are making sense, Kisuke… now I really think that the Head Captain is hiding something big from us and as well as from the entire Soul Society." Yoruichi replied. "I am 500 years ahead in time that means something happened within these 500 years which wiped out our existence," Sesshomaru responded to their conversation.

"Hmm… whatever, I think for now we must focus on the task at hand." Yoruichi spoke while breaking the silence. "You are right, Yoruichi-san... Sesshomaru, I am pretty sure that you will find your Tensaiga in the Hueco Mundo." Urahara responded while agreeing with Yoruichi and then he said to Sesshomaru. "Hmm… the world of the Hollows?" Sesshomaru responded. "Yes, and the good thing is, we can send you there," Yoruichi said to him as well. "Yoruichi-san, but how he is going to return from the Hueco Mundo… moreover, how we are going to sneak into the Soul Society and check the ancient records, I need to fix my Zanpakuto as well." Urahara said while wondering. "Hmm…" Yoruichi responded while wondering as well.

"I have a plan… send me to the Hueco Mundo and don't worry about my return because I am sure that your friends from the Soul Society will pursue me and thus I will wait for them to visit the Hueco Mundo and find me… I will use their dimensional gate to reach the Soul Society and then I will help you two over there, we will return to the World of the Living together through the main Senkai Gate of the Soul Society." Sesshomaru spoke while explaining his plan to both Urahara and Yoruichi. "I think this is the only path we can follow at the moment," Yoruichi spoke while sighing, "plus we will get support from Isshin in the Soul Society," Urahara said as well.

Afterward, all the three of them moved to the basement of the shop which was actually a gigantic training space with artificial daylight and where the device to open a Garganta was situated. "Now before I open a Garganta using this device, I want to let you know about some of the consequences," Urahara said to Sesshomaru. "Hmm… very well." Sesshomaru replied. "Gargantas are very unstable dimensional portals, sometimes they get closed during the journey and in that case, you will have to push your way to the Hueco Mundo with the help of your powerful demonic energy because if once you get trapped into the dimensional gap then we will never be able to bring you back," Urahara said to Sesshomaru. "And try not to get involved in unnecessary fights and gain attention as you did here in the World of the Living," Yoruichi advised him as well. "You don't have to remind me of something so obvious." Sesshomaru replied to her.

Now Urahara activated those towers with the help of Yoruichi and suddenly immense spiritual-cum-atomic energy began to rush between both the towers, establishing a link of energy between both of them. The overflowing link of energy began to distort the very space and time and slowly turned into a cavity in the physical dimension which eventually grew into a full-fledged Garganta. Sesshomaru didn't waste any moment and entered into that Garganta without any hesitation.

"Let's leave it opened for an hour… it will be more than enough for him to reach the other end." Urahara murmured to Yoruichi but the moment they turned around, the towers along with the Garganta got destroyed by an immense fiery explosion.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 9: Behind the Scenes**

* * *

Now Urahara activated those towers with the help of Yoruichi and suddenly immense spiritual-cum-atomic energy began to rush between both the towers, establishing a link of energy between both of them. The overflowing link of energy began to distort the very space and time and slowly turned into a cavity in the physical dimension which eventually grew into a full-fledged Garganta. Sesshomaru didn't waste any moment and entered into that Garganta without any hesitation.

"Let's leave it opened for an hour… it will be more than enough for him to reach the other end." Urahara murmured to Yoruichi but the moment they turned around, the towers along with the Garganta got destroyed by an immense fiery explosion.

When the flames and smoke got lowered a bit, both Urahara and Yoruichi were shocked to notice that it was the destructive Kido techniques of Yumichika, Hisagi, Iba, Kira, and Chojiro which destroyed the entire Garganta arrangement. On the other hand, those 10 Lieutenant-level Shinigamis were also shocked to witness that Urahara and Yoruichi just helped Sesshomaru to enter the Hueco Mundo.

Chojiro murmured in a serious manner, "Master Genryusai's instructions will be followed no matter what." Now before Urahara and Yoruichi could have said anything to them, Hisagi asked them, "Urahara-san… Yoruichi-san… so, the two of you have decided to betray the Soul Society and our Head Captain?" Renji spoke to Chojiro in a slightly annoyed manner, "even I saw that Yoruichi hit you from behind last night while you were about to release your Bankai and Urahara is the one who saved that bastard from my Higa Zekko." Upon listening to their words, Omaeda asked shockingly, "Lady Yoruichi really did that?... I..I can't believe it." Iba couldn't remain quiet and he asked them as well, "is that a vengeance or something because Soul Society exiled you two?"

"SILENCE YOU FOOLS!" Yoruichi shouted at all of them and then said in a rather angry tone, "last night we interfered in the battle from his side so that we can save your asses… Kisuke studied his powers and for your kind information, even the combined power of all of you wouldn't be even a match to his true power… if we wouldn't have hit you at that time then you all must have ended up dead, especially Chojiro-san and you Renji."

"Huh… what a lame excuse," Ikkaku murmured and then Yumichika said in his support, "Yes, you have no right to underestimate us." Renji was already upset with both Yoruichi and Urahara, "well, I am going to report this to my captain," he spoke angrily. "No, Renji… don't tell anything to Nii-sama." Rukia spoke abruptly in order to convince him.

"Whatever you two have done… it has brought great shame upon all of us," Hisagi murmured as he began to walk away from there. "Instead of fighting against the enemy you two attacked your own comrades to save our lives and let our pride die," Kira spoke in his support while leaving along with him. Rangiku was looking towards everyone and finally, she spoke in a confident tone, "well, I am not going to blame anyone before discussing all this to my Captain." Urahara smiled upon listening to her, "thanks for the understanding, Rangiku-san… please, ask Isshin to visit us as soon as possible." he replied her casually. "I will surely let him know." She replied with a smile.

"But know that I am not going to hide anything from my Captain," Chojiro warned both Urahara and Yoruichi right before leaving for the Soul Society through a Senkai Gate while everyone else also followed him. "Head Captain is going to be terribly mad on us if he comes to know about how we helped Sesshomaru," Urahara said to Yoruichi with a smile. "Hmm… that's right, so what's your plan?" She asked him with concern. "Perhaps, in anger, he will reveal the truth, if not by words then by his actions," Urahara replied to her with a smile.

"Besides, Kisuke… what about Sesshomaru now? Will he really be alright?" Yoruichi asked him with slight worry. "I think so, Yoruichi-san. I have studied his spiritual pressure and if my calculations are right then he should be able to make it to the Hueco Mundo by pushing his way with the help of his superior demonic energy, however…" he replied her but stopped in the middle while she asked him curiously, "however, what Kisuke?" He sighed and answered, "I don't know at which location that Garganta will drop him in the Hueco Mundo, it can even be Menos Forest or even Negal Ruins."

"Hmm… is this the reason why you seem to be lost in the deep thoughts lately?" She asked as she was observing him ever since they had a discussion with Sesshomaru. "No, Yoruichi-san, he replied.  
"Then what is it, Kisuke?" she asked in an insisting manner. "If Hollows have really stolen his sword then it's a big problem. You see, Hollows normally doesn't do such things, they just attack and consume anyone they find… but if what Sesshomaru has told us is true then those Hollows were just the puppets and there must be a puppet-master as well." He replied to her in a serious manner. "Do you think it could be Aizen?" she asked. "No, I don't think he knows anything about Sesshomaru or his sword, I am afraid that the puppet-master is someone else." He replied her while walking away in order to check on his destroyed Garganta generator. "Hmm… nonetheless, Kisuke, since Sesshomaru is not actually a bad guy so I can't let him clash with the Soul Society, we have to do something about it," she replied while walking away to the shop.

* * *

_**Meanwhile in the Feudal Era**_

Jaken and the two-headed Dragon Yokai had stopped traveling and they were simply waiting for Sesshomaru's return, ever since he had left in order to retrieve his Tensaiga which was stolen by the Hollow creatures. Jaken was quite worried about him because he felt how powerful those creatures were when they attacked them in order to steal the sword. Also, Jaken was well aware of the fact that Bone-eater's well is a dimensional portal and hence he was afraid that Sesshomaru might end up getting trapped in a strange world and outnumbered by those powerful strange creatures.

Jaken was constantly getting worried and frustrated upon fantasizing all the horrible possibilities which could have happened to Sesshomaru in that new world where Bone-eater's well had led him. Suddenly, he got up from his place with bizarre confidence and a sudden change in attitude, "Lord Sesshomaru… I will save you," he spoke in a loud tone. "Let's go, we will have to gather an army of Yokais in order to rescue Lord Sesshomaru from those creatures." He said with confidence while pulling reins of his companion Dragon Yokai.

After walking non-stop for a few hours along with the two-headed Dragon Yokai, Jaken finally came across someone to whom he could have asked for some help. He was none other but Royakan, the Wolf Yokai, who was famous as the gentle guardian of the forest.

"Hey Royakan, today is a very important day for you because I am here to invite you to participate in the greatest war of all times," Jaken said proudly while standing right in front of the Wolf Yokai but he didn't react even after several seconds passed. Jaken began to wonder why he didn't reply yet. Suddenly Jaken heard the sound of snoring and it didn't take him long to realize that Royakan was actually sleeping. "ROYA..KAA..AAAN!" The Toad Yokai shouted frustratingly. "Ahh… yes… yes… I am here… who is it? Ohh..Jaken it's you," the big-headed Wolf Yokai replied abruptly upon getting snapped out of his slumber.

"Lord Sesshomaru is in trouble, we have to gather a strong army of Yokais and rush to help him immediately." Jaken anxiously spoke to him. "What? Lord Sesshomaru is in trouble? How is this even possible?" Royakan asked shockingly upon heeding his words. "We don't have time for the discussion you fool." He shouted at the Wolf Yokai. "Tell me everything, whom we are gonna have to fight and where?" The Wolf Yokai asked further. "Those are monsters, they wear mask and armor of bones, they got a hole in their bodies too… they came from Bone-eater's well to stole Lord Sesshomaru's Tensaiga." Jaken explained to him the in the best manner he could. "So, where is Lord Sesshomaru right now?" Royakan asked curiously. "Amm… he entered inside Bone-eater's well like two days ago." Jaken answered hesitatingly. "Well… fighting is alright but traveling to the new dimension sounds scary." Royakan replied while wondering about what kind of world the Bone-eater's well would lead them to. "Hah! Forget it, if you are scared." Jaken spoke with the disappointment. "No, I am not scared… let's go." Royakan said with confidence to pretend that he wasn't scared.

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_Hello my dear readers, hope you are enjoying the story so far. The Ist Phase of the ongoing Arc has completed with this chapter. So far the story must have left you with several questions and I assure you that sooner or later all these questions will be answered in the future chapters so kindly stay tuned, and if you have read all the chapters so far or even some of them then let me know through your comments/reviews that what do you think about the story so far? Or you can also ask if you guys have any additional questions or doubts. I will be looking forward to your comments,_

_Take care…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 10: Chasing Each Other**

* * *

"Those are monsters, they wear mask and armor of bones, they got a hole in their bodies too… they came from Bone-eater's well to stole Lord Sesshomaru's Tensaiga." Jaken explained to him the in the best manner he could. "So, where is Lord Sesshomaru right now?" Royakan asked curiously. "Amm… he entered inside Bone-eater's well like two days ago." Jaken answered hesitatingly. "Well… fighting is alright but traveling to the new dimension sounds scary." Royakan replied while wondering about what kind of world the Bone-eater's well would lead them to. "Hah! Forget it, if you are scared." Jaken spoke with the disappointment. "No, I am not scared… let's go." Royakan said with confidence to pretend that he wasn't scared.

* * *

**The topmost section of the Hueco Mundo, the white desert…**

Sesshomaru was lying down on the ground on his belly with his consciousness clouded and his body extremely exhausted. After some time, he woke up to the noises of some small and weak Hollows fighting each other nearby him. He immediately recollected his strength, came back to his senses and got up on his feet. Now he recalled how he ended up like this, the Garganta through which he arrived in the Hueco Mundo, it began to shrink the moment he stepped inside it. Hence he had to use each and every ounce of his demonic energy in order to stop the Garganta from crushing him while pushing himself all the way to the Hueco Mundo.

As soon as he got up and began to take a look around, all those smaller Hollows got scared and ran away from there but suddenly a larger Hollow began to chase them. That portion of the white desert was rather lacking uniformity in comparison of the other portions. The gigantic rocks, deep trenches and the corridors between them with the weak and cracked ground were making it a dangerous place filled with the traps. Soon enough Sesshomaru witnessed how that bigger Hollow and all those smaller ones ended up falling in the depths due to the sudden rupture of a cracked portion of land.

Now he began to climb upwards on a giant rock and decided to move forward by jumping from one rock to another while on his way it's been several times that the rocks and the ground got crumbled by his weight but each time he saved himself from falling down by using his demonic speed. Even though he was already moving on quite a height yet there were some gigantic mountains on his way, too high to climb all the way to the top and hence he decided to move ahead through the caves and cracks inside of them.

At the end of a cave, Sesshomaru was confronted by a Hollow and it seemed that the later was filled with the intentions of attacking and consuming the former one. The next moment, Sesshomaru used his demonic speed and he seemed to disappear from his position and appear right behind that Hollow while that Hollow vanished due to the heavy damaged inflicted on his head by the quick attack of Daiyokai's claw. Now suddenly he sensed some Hollows right above him beyond the cave's ceiling and he decided to pay a surprise visit to them. He immediately jumped upward, ripped the ceiling with his claws and killed all those Hollows by beheading them with a single swing of his energy whip, without giving them even the chance to react.

Sesshomaru was thinking about to simply find the Hollow whose Mask's remnant he found in the river, instead of unnecessarily killing them on his way but he wasn't aware of the fact that he had already gained the attention of several Hollows all around him. Now he came across a dead-end in a cave and hence he decided to continue his journey through the rocks situated at the lower heights once again. However, as soon as he descended to the rocks, dozens of Hollows who were awaiting him came out of their hidings and surrounded him. It took some time to Sesshomaru in annihilating them since he wasn't aware of the fact that destroying their mask or detaching it from their bodies is an easy way to put an end to them.

He was sensing the presence of a large number of Hollows ahead and thus he decided to move ahead while flying swiftly instead of on foot in order to avoid them. On his way, even though he was noticing that the level of ground was slowly getting lower but he had no idea that he was actually getting closer to the Forest of Menos. He confronted some cavities and he didn't hesitate to enter them since they were the only ways which were leading ahead and now he was traveling through a region which was actually a blend of white desert and Forest of Menos. He even came across the rubble and remnants of structures which weren't looking natural as they were probably belonging to the very foundation of the Las Noches.

The moment he started losing hope of finding that Arrancar, suddenly he noticed a shine in the darkness of the depths right beneath his feet and when he tried to get close to it, he sensed the similar kind of spiritual pressure from it which the Mask remnant he had, was oozing. Now he swiftly made his way towards the place from where that shine was coming. He didn't hesitate to go deeper without realizing that now he had already left behind that blended area far away and entered the Forest of Menos. He was sensing an unbelievable amount of Menos Grande all around him but he didn't seem to be concerned about them, maybe because they were still weaker to him or perhaps because he was more focused on that Mask remnant. His movements had also become slightly reckless as instead of finding new ways upon coming across a blockage, he was simply breaking through the rocks and crystal-like flora of the Hueco Mundo to pave his path which was surely gaining him a lot of attention from several Gillians.

Even though it was a long path for Sesshomaru yet he didn't take much time in reaching the place from where he noticed that shine. It was a Mask remnant of a Hollow, he picked it up and when he tried to put it together with the smaller Mask fragment which he had, it became clear that both the remnants of Hollow Mask were belonging to the same entity, most probably a female Vasto Lorde just like Urahara told him after his analysis.

Sesshomaru had no idea that someone was watching him from a safe distance. She was standing right behind him and trying to figure out why he was taking so much interest in those Mask remnants. She was none other but Tia Halibel, the same female Vasto Lorde whose Mask remnants he was carrying all this time. Her Hollow Mask seemed to be shattered from her left cheek and there were several bruises all over her body as if she had a serious battle against someone or a group of Hollows.

She whispered to herself while staring at Sesshomaru, "Who is he and why is he looking for me? I have never even seen him before in the Hueco Mundo. Could it be that he is the one behind the abduction of Mila Rose and Sung-Sun?" Now Sesshomaru began to walk away and hence she began to follow him out of curiosity in order to know his intentions so that she can neutralize any possible danger coming her way. "His spiritual pressure is very different, it is so powerful and fierce and yet it doesn't seem to belong to a Shinigami or a Hollow, he is definitely none of them but he is neither Quincy nor even a human then what exactly is he?" She whispered while reading his demonic spiritual pressure but she didn't realize that she had reached too close to hide her spiritual pressure from him. As a result, Sesshomaru immediately had a slight feeling of her spiritual pressure but before he could have begun to track her down, she retreated at the right moment and saved herself.

"What was this feeling just now? I sensed as if that female Vasto Lorde is somewhere around. If her Mask remnant is here then she might not be far enough, I must continue looking for her." Sesshomaru murmured to himself and then headed in the direction from where he was sensing several Gillians.

"I have to be careful; he almost caught me this time but it seems that I managed to retreat at the right moment… however, where is he going? I can sense a large number of Gillians that way, I must pursue him." She whispered while rushing in the same direction in which Sesshomaru had left.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 11: Finally, They Met!**

* * *

"What was this feeling just now? I sensed as if that female Vasto Lorde is somewhere around. If her Mask remnant is here then she might not be far enough, I must continue looking for her." Sesshomaru murmured to himself and then headed in the direction from where he was sensing several Gillians.

"I have to be careful; he almost caught me this time but it seems that I managed to retreat at the right moment… however, where is he going? I can sense a large number of Gillians that way, I must pursue him." She whispered while rushing in the same direction in which Sesshomaru had left.

* * *

**Head Captain's chamber, Squad 1 building, The Soul Society…**

Genryusai Yamamoto was standing in his chamber all alone. He was curiously waiting for those 10 Lieutenant level Shinigamis whom he sent to kill Sesshomaru. Though he already knew the result of their confrontation with the Daiyokai yet he wanted to listen to their experience in order to gain sufficient knowledge about his battle prowess. Suddenly a messenger appeared in the chamber and spoke while bowing down to him, "Sir, the team of 10 Lieutenant Level Shinigamis has returned from World of the Living and they are ready to report." Genryusai responded, "Send them in."

At first, Chojiro Sasakibe entered the chamber following him Marechiyo Omaeda, Izuru Kira, and Tetsuzaemon Iba. Head Captain Genryusai got a bit surprised to see that only a few of them were present to report. "Where are the others?... How dare they avoid reporting in such a serious situation?" Head Captain asked them in a slightly angry tone. "Captain… they are injured… and currently undergoing treatment in the barracks of squad 4." Chojiro answered him.

"I have already received the report of the incident by the surveillance team of Squad 12 but still, I would like to listen to you… tell me the complete truth." Genryusai said while addressing all the four of them. "H..Head Captain, he is very powerful… he defeated us very easily." Omaeda said with great hesitation and fear with his face tilted downward. "The complete truth… Lieutenant, Sasakibe Chojiro." Genryusai said to him in a very strict tone. "Ca..Captain… Urahara-san… and Yoruichi-san… they aided him in the battle and…" Chojiro replied as he was tensed to observe his Captain's anger. "And what?" He asked further angrily. "They are the ones who helped him in traveling to the Hueco Mundo," Chojiro spoke further with an expectation of immense anger from him but for everyone's surprise, he didn't even respond to it.

"Any fu..further instructions… for us?" Chojiro asked in a low voice as he was intimidated by the silence of his Captain. "Yes, all of you are suspended from your respective positions for an unknown period of time. During this time, all of you will be stripped off of your Zanpakutos while none of you will be allowed to use any kind of Kido technique… now leave." Genryusai replied in a cold manner while deeply pondering over the current situation. After listening to his words, all of them left the chamber with great shame and disappointment while looking towards the ground. Genryusai mumbled while looking out from his chamber, "I must do something before it gets out of my hands."

* * *

**Forest of Menos, Hueco Mundo…**

Sesshomaru was continuously searching for that female Vasto Lorde whose Hollow Mask remnant he found recently. And his search seemed to come to an end when he witnessed that she was passing through a group of giant black Hollows who were constantly firing Ceros on her. "These Hollows are much larger in size in comparison to the ones I have confronted so far yet they don't seem to be much powerful. They are nothing in comparison to her in strength but still, instead of attacking them in return; she is simply dodging their Cero beams to escape this area." Sesshomaru mumbled while quickly rushing towards her.

Halibel immediately sensed Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure, "he is close," she uttered while looking here and there. "Stop!" Sesshomaru said to her in a loud voice. "Oh no, he is coming from behind. I must escape quickly," she uttered in a low voice while increasing her speed in order to make him lose sight of her. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was interrupted by the barrage of the Cero beams from the Menos Grandes. Halibel succeeded in her attempt of escaping him as his path got blocked by the giant rocks which fell from the ceiling after it got damaged by the multiple Cero beams. Though the barrage of the Cero beams was unable to get past Sesshomaru's demonic energy yet it proved to be enough to stop him in his tracks by creating immense chaos and disturbance in a large area.

Meanwhile, on the other side of giant rocks, Halibel was unable to leave as she was still wondering about Sesshomaru's intentions. "From his face and his body language, it doesn't seem that he wants to hunt me down but still I must stay alert because he is too powerful and also an unknown being," she mumbled to herself. Suddenly she listened to the loud noise of blasts. It was coming from the barrage of Cero beams which the Menos Grandes were constantly firing at Sesshomaru. "He seems to be trapped by those Ceros but the Menos Grandes also seem to get destroyed one after another, however, he is killing them very slowly, perhaps he doesn't know much about us Hollows," she spoke to herself while standing close to the wall of fallen rocks and then she shouted loudly, "break their mask, stranger… it is the quickest way to kill them."

Sesshomaru was quite surprised to listen to her voice, especially to know that she was still hanging around and moreover, was trying to help him. He didn't reply to her but did exactly what she told him to do so and soon enough he managed to neutralize all the Menos Grandes. Afterward, he walked up to that wall of fallen rocks in order to have a word with her. "Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked her. "That is none of your business… now get lost and do not pursue me." Halibel replied in a strict manner and left. "I must find a way to reach her as soon as possible." He mumbled while looking around in order to find a way out.

Now Sesshomaru didn't take much time in reaching close to her once again. He didn't find her but he was sensing her spiritual pressure very clearly and that's how he knew that she was much closer to him than he was anticipating. On the other hand, Halibel was also able to feel his spiritual pressure which was enough for her to figure out his exact direction and location. "Damn! He is still pursuing me and he is too close… I have to do something about him," she mumbled to herself as she decided to attack him.

While he was still trying to find her, suddenly she appeared in front of him by bursting through a wall. She had gathered enough spirit energy to boost her strength and speed to a great extent. Sesshomaru wasn't expecting such a response from her and hence he was caught off guard. The next moment, she pinned him to a wall while the point of her sword was pressing against his throat.

"Why are you pursuing me?" She asked furiously while Sesshomaru released some of his demonic energy and pushed her away from him. "Where is my Tensaiga?" he asked in a cold tone. "What are you talking about? Are you the one who sent those Hollows to abduct my comrades?" she asked with slight confusion but the seriousness and valor was clearly reflecting through her tone. "I have no interest in you or your kind, I am simply looking for my sword which was stolen by some Hollows," he replied in a strict manner. "I know nothing of you or your sword… but why are you pursuing me?" She muttered while wondering about his intentions.

Now Sesshomaru took the piece of her Hollow Mask out of his clothes and asked her while showing it to her, "it belongs to you, isn't it? Those Hollows who stole my sword dropped it nearby me." She recognized that Mask remnant as hers and replied, "I don't know… I really have no idea but it seems that it was all planned because some Hollows attacked me and my comrades a while ago and they abducted them. Suddenly a large number of Adjuchas surrounded both of them and it seemed that they were planning to feast on them. "You are one of them, a Hollow, aren't you? Hence, I can't believe you but I will need you to retrieve my sword." Sesshomaru said as he prepared himself to fight against the Adjuchas while Halibel took advantage of this situation and once again fled.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	12. Chapter 12

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 12: Shark under Attack**

* * *

She recognized that Mask remnant as hers and replied, "I don't know… I really have no idea but it seems that it was all planned because some Hollows attacked me and my comrades a while ago and they abducted them. Suddenly a large number of Adjuchas surrounded both of them and it seemed that they were planning to feast on them. "You are one of them, a Hollow, aren't you? Hence, I can't believe you but I will need you to retrieve my sword." Sesshomaru said while preparing himself to fight against the Adjuchas while Halibel took advantage of this situation and once again fled.

* * *

**The Urahara Shop, World of the Living…**

Urahara and Yoruichi were discussing the ongoing matter with each other and making strategies to avoid the clash with the Soul Society while Tessai, Ururu, and Jinta were busy in the shop's works as usual. Suddenly a Senkai Gate appeared right in front of their shop and a Captain level Shinigami stepped out of it. He swiftly headed towards that room of the shop where Urahara and Yoruichi were making plans. "Oh! Welcome… Kurosaki-san!" Urahara greeted Isshin as he entered the room. "It's good that you came here Isshin, we wanted to talk to you about several important things," Yoruichi spoke to him as well. "Even I wanted to have a word with both of you," he replied to them in a serious manner.

"What is it, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara asked him. "You are looking serious," Yoruichi muttered. "What was the need of attacking the Shinigami team while they were on the mission to exterminate that alien?" Isshin asked both of them. "He is not a bad guy, Isshin. We have talked to him and he told us that he is only looking for his sword which some Hollows stole from his world," she answered him. "Plus, it seems that the Head Captain wants to hide his identity from everyone and finish this matter as soon as possible. That's why I have decided to know the truth about him," Urahara spoke as well.

"Hmm… if that's the case then I have a bad news for you two, Head Captain is not at all in a good mood lately." Isshin said in a serious tone. "I think we should sneak into the Soul Society in order to investigate about Sesshomaru and also to fix my sword," Urahara muttered. "WHAT? You are going to sneak into the Soul Society at such times?" Isshin asked shockingly. "Yes, what's wrong in that? What do you mean by such times?" Urahara counter-questioned in a normal tone. "You won't believe how serious Head Captain is about this matter. He has suspended those 10 Shinigamis, stripped them off of their Zanpakutos and put a ban on their use of Kido. Moreover, there is hardly any Captain present in the Soul Society due to which each and every spot of the Soul Society is under surveillance by a large number of patrolling guards. There are strict orders for everyone that nobody would leave the Soul Society without any serious cause." Isshin explained the present situation of the Soul Society to both of them.

"Then how did you manage to come here?" Yoruichi asked Isshin, curiously. "I made it here by sending multiple applications full of lame excuses to Squad 12 Captain," Isshin answered with a smile. "Why did you send the applications to Kurotsuchi?" Urahara asked doubtfully. "It is because Kurotsuchi is the Captain in charge of this demon case. It was also the instruction of Head Captain." Isshin replied to him. "I see... then it seems like it is the perfect time for us to sneak into the Soul Society," Urahara spoke with a serious smile on his face. "You are terribly miscalculating this time, Urahara. Infiltrating the Soul Society at such times will be considered as a full-fledged war against it." Isshin replied him anxiously. "Only if we get caught, isn't it?" Urahara replied while winking with a smile on his face. "You have to admit that Kisuke has a point," Yoruichi spoke in Urahara's support while leaning her back down against the wall and getting in a relaxed pose. "Huh! You know… I can feel that you guys are going to get me fired from the Soul Society this time," Isshin replied while sighing and then all of them laughed and began to discuss the strategy to enter the Soul Society.

* * *

**Forest of Menos, Hueco Mundo…**

Several hours had passed and Halibel had already traveled too far away from the place where she met Sesshomaru the last time. Though her mind was assuming that Adjuchas might be successful in blocking his path yet somewhere in her heart she was curious to see him once again. She was able to sympathize with him, perhaps because both of them were on the same place and in the pursuit of something important or because both of them were troubled by the same puppet-master whose intentions remained unknown so far.

On her way, she noticed a few Arrancars from a far distance and one of them was holding a sword in his hand. They were actually the same Arrancars who attacked her and abducted her comrades while she didn't take long in deducing that it must be the same sword which Sesshomaru was looking for. She decided to pursue them secretly but she got so absorbed in the task that she didn't realize when she arrived at an unknown portion of Menos Forest where the ground and the ceiling were extremely thin with several cracks due to which the moonlight was able to illuminate the almost entire area. It wasn't even looking like the Menos Forest at all since it was heavily lacking the commonly found crystallized flora and Menos Grandes.

While she was wondering about in which direction she should proceed, suddenly a Cero blast caught her attention which was the work of one of those Hollows who stole Sesshomaru's Tensaiga. The next moment that Hollow attacked her but she managed to block his attack with her broad sword and ended up having her weapon cracked in the process.

"You are Halibel aren't you?" that Hollow asked in a slightly playful manner. "Who are you?" she counter-questioned. "I am one of those who stole the sword of that demon." He replied while walking close to her, raising his spiritual pressure simultaneously. She stepped back because his spiritual pressure was seemed to exceeding her expectations and then she asked further in a strict tone, "what business you have got with me? Where are my comrades now?"

"We attacked your group and abducted your girls because we were ordered to do so. However, our master was expecting you somewhere else but you somehow escaped the swarm of Menos Grandes and Adjuchas pretty soon and found us here with the sword of that demon," that Hollow spoke while getting slightly infuriated. "It is because he destroyed all those Menos Grande and must have destroyed the Adjuchas as well. Soon, we will destroy your gang as well and retrieve our precious things. "Our Lord doesn't want you to actually team up with that demon and now you will pay for it… bitch!" That Hollow shouted furiously while boosting his spiritual pressure to a level even slightly higher than that of hers.

"That's impossible! No Adjucha can handle such powerful spiritual pressure." Halibel whispered to herself while sensing his skyrocketing spiritual pressure. Now that Hollow forced her to get cornered by using another Cero blast and once again tried to get his hands on her but she blocked him once again. "No, I can't fall here otherwise they won't spare Mila Rose and Sung-Sun." She mumbled while trying to push him back.

At first, she had some trouble in overpowering him but eventually, she shoved him back. However, the next moment, he rushed towards her with immense momentum and this time his blow broke her broad-sword which was attached to her right arm. Now it didn't take that Hollow much time to utterly overpower Halibel, he beat her quite ruthlessly and gave her several bruises on her already injured body from their previous encounter. She was lying on a rock and struggling to get up on her feet. That Hollow approached her and lifted her face up by grabbing her hairs, her Hollow mask-remnants got shattered almost up to her neck, revealing her face completely.

"We are not some mere Hollows you bitch, we are Arrancars. Our master gave us this power especially to execute this mission and hence, there's no way you can overpower us." That Hollow muttered to her in a boasting manner while now all of his fellow Arrancars had surrounded her. That Arrancar summoned a powerful Cero ball in his hand and slowly began to move his hand closer to her face but other Arrancars stopped him and then all of us began to smile in a very wicked manner.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 13: A Glimpse of the Nightmare**

* * *

That Hollow approached her and lifted her face up by grabbing her hairs, her Hollow mask-remnants got shattered almost up to her neck, revealing her face completely.

"We are not some mere Hollows you bitch, we are Arrancars. Our master gave us this power especially to execute this mission and hence, there's no way you can overpower us." That Hollow muttered to her in a boasting manner while now all of his fellow Arrancars had surrounded her. That Arrancar summoned a powerful Cero ball in his hand and slowly began to move his hand closer to her face but other Arrancars stopped him and then all of us began to smile in a very wicked manner.

"Where are my two comrades?" Halibel asked them in a low voice while panting heavily.

Now one of the Arrancar plucked out his left eye burst it in front of her face. The tiny shiny particles spread everywhere and she immediately had a vision of her comrades. They were kept hanging against a wall by the thick chains. Like Halibel, their bodies were also full of injuries and bruises. Both Mila Rose and Sung-Sun were not even seemed to be conscious and some powerful Hollows were keeping an eye on them. "You have seen them, don't you? Once the superior purpose of our master is served, we will rape all of you and then throw you out of our lair like a useless piece of garbage. So just wait for the inevitable," the main Arrancar said to Halibel and then he left her hairs.

A mere thought of what he just said shook Halibel till the very depths of her conscience and it had also filled her with immense anger and feeling of vengeance. She recollected her remaining strength and attacked that Arrancar with her broken sword. Her sword-swing successfully inflicted a cut on his shoulder which was enough to infuriate him. "You bitch!" He shouted with slight pain. "You can't do anything. I was planning to simply have some fun with you but now all of us will make sure that your very soul tremble whenever you confront a male." That Arrancar ranted cunningly in anger.

Now the other seven Arrancars began to come close to her in order to capture her in their grasp but she dodged the first one and shoved the second one back with a powerful kick. She blocked the attack of the third one with her broad sword while knocked down the fourth one with a quick Cero. She pushed back the one who was holding her broad sword while attacked the other two simultaneously by spinning with immense speed. Her spinning attack inflicted several cuts on the bodies of those two Arrancars but before she could have done anything about the seventh one, he punched her belly hard while a powerful Cero from the eighth one shoved her into a nearby rock. All the eight of them began to walk close to her while their injuries were slowly getting disappeared due to the instantaneous regeneration. They were laughing in an evil manner and were continuously staring at her body with their eyes filled with lust.

Now two of them approached her, lifted her up by holding each of her arms and then made her lie down on a nearby rock of the height of a regular table. "Take a look around bitch, the real fun will begin now." The main Arrancar said to her in his monstrous voice while all of them surrounded that rock. "You three, go and deliver the sword first, we can't afford to fail the plan because of something like this." The main Arrancar ordered the other three in the crew. "But what are you going to do with her? Master didn't give us any such permission," one of them spoke while objecting to his decision. "You fool… everyone, get him!" The main Arrancar shouted and the next moment, the one who was objecting to his decision was grabbed by two Arrancars. Now all those three Arrancars shot Cero towards his head from three directions, causing his head to burst like a balloon. His lifeless body fell down on the ground and disappeared in the air like dust particles. "Three of you must leave in order to deliver the sword right now and join the party later." The main Arrancar spoke while addressing all the remaining six and then three of them immediately left along with Sesshomaru's sword.

_***WARNING***_

_**Adult Content**_

That Arrancar now shifted his focus back to Halibel who was still lying on the rock and struggling to even get up because of the injuries and beating given to her by those Arrancars. "Ha ha ha… so what do we have here… a female Vasto Lorde, struggling like a fish without water." He muttered playfully while pushing her face away with his hand. "Hey, don't hurt her anymore otherwise she won't be able to resist and struggle when we will fuck her." The other Arrancar spoke while tightly grabbing her right wrist. "Hahahahaha… yes, yes and there's no fun when these females do not struggle or cry for help." Another one of them muttered as well while grabbing both of her legs as now she was lying on the rock on her belly.

"Ha ha ha ha ha… alright then, as you guys say, even I want to enjoy her luscious and curvy humanoid body to the fullest." The main Arrancar replied them and the next moment his 10 inches long and thick penis erected and began to appear on his body. "I just can't wait anymore… it's been so long since the last time I fucked and ate such a busty human or a Soul Reaper female like this." The fifth one spoke while grabbing Halibel's left wrist.

"No, don't do that with me, wh..why don't you monsters si..simply kill me and get over with this," Halibel spoke in a low voice upon getting intimidated by the thought of getting raped by five of such Arrancars.

"Listen, you bitch! We have got no interest in killing you or your two pets, whom you refer as comrades. We are simply following the instructions of our master, it's just it was your bad luck that you found us at the wrong place at the wrong time." The main Arrancar said while grabbing and pulling her hairs. "We fuck ugly and animalistic female Hollows like your comrades almost daily but it's rare to get our hands on someone as delicious looking as you, there's no way we are going to spare you bitch, so you better prepare yourself to become our slut." The other four Arrancars said to her in a dirty manner.

Halibel's mind was completely clouded as the fear of getting raped by such monsters had grounded her completely. She was unable to think of any strategy to save herself from those Arrancars.

"Female Hollows are the best prey for us but you used to save them and kill all those who tried to hunt them down… you will now pay for all that loss. Let's fuck her hard until her pussy and asshole get tear apart." The main Arrancar spoke to Halibel and then instructed his comrades.

"Come on, grab my hard cock, bitch… it is craving your touch." One of the Arrancar who was holding her right hand said in a desperate manner. "You are our slut now, give me a handjob already." Another Arrancar spoke who was holding her left wrist. Both of these Arrancars were trying to put her hands on their penis while she was trying her best to keep her hands away from them. "She is not ready to even touch us, put your dick in her mouth and awaken the whore inside of her." The Arrancar who was holding her legs said to the main one. "Even I was thinking the same but before that let me taste her thick and juicy lips at once." The main Arrancar replied and then he forcibly titled her face upward by pulling her hairs and slowly brought his lips closer to her mouth. However, before his tongue could have tasted her lips, all of them including Halibel got shocked upon sensing an immensely powerful spiritual pressure. "It's him!" Halibel whispered to herself with her eyes widened with the amazement as well as with a new hope.

It was indeed Sesshomaru in his light orb form. The next moment he landed right behind the main Arrancar and before he could have even reacted to him, he felt a tight grip of Sesshomaru's energy whip around his neck. Sesshomaru pulled that Arrancar away from her while those who were holding her, left her immediately as their focus was shifted to the Daiyokai. For a few moments, he observed everyone including Halibel and asked the main Arrancar in his usual cold tone, "where is my Tensaiga?"

* * *

**To be continued…**


	14. Chapter 14

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 14: Chaos Overhead**

* * *

"It's him!" Halibel whispered to herself with her eyes widened with the amazement as well as with a new hope.

It was indeed Sesshomaru in his light orb form. The next moment he landed right behind the main Arrancar and before he could have even reacted to him, he felt a tight grip of Sesshomaru's energy whip around his neck. Sesshomaru pulled that Arrancar away from her while those who were holding her, left her immediately as their focus was shifted to the Daiyokai. For a few moments, he observed everyone including Halibel and asked the main Arrancar in his usual cold tone, "where is my Tensaiga?"

"There is no sword here; get lost you foo… aakk!" That Arrancar answered in his usual arrogant tone but couldn't complete his line. "Those who don't have the answer… can die." Sesshomaru spoke while pulling his energy whip back, eventually decapitating the Arrancar.

"He was an idiot but I do not want to die and let this Vasto Lorde slip away from our grasp, I will tell him about his sword." One of the Arrancar spoke to the remaining two while they also seemed to be agreed with his decision. "Hey demon, three from our group have taken your sword in that direction a few minutes ago, you should proceed quickly, they didn't have reached too far." That Arrancar muttered while pointing in the right direction. Sesshomaru listened to his words and began to stare at them while Halibel was also wondering about the decision which he was going to take. "Leave us alone with her and you will get your sword." Another Arrancar muttered to him.

Suddenly Sesshomaru approached one of them and grabbed his head while using poison claw technique due to which he died a horrible and painful death as his head slowly melted and eventually disappeared. Sesshomaru's this act not only shocked the remaining two Arrancars but Halibel as well. She was wondering if he was giving more priority to her than his sword for which he had traveled all the way to the Hueco Mundo. The remaining two Arrancars tried to run for their lives but both of them were eventually hunted down by Sesshomaru, however, his right arm got slightly injured in the process. After the corpses of all the Arrancars disintegrated into the air, he tore off the right sleeve of his kimono in order to observe his injury while Halibel walked up to him and spoke in a low voice, "thank you… for staying here and saving me even though they told you about your sword." Sesshomaru turned around and replied in his usual cold tone, "I didn't leave to retrieve my sword because I chose not to believe in the words of a Hollow." She stared at his face for a moment and said further, "that Arrancar was speaking the truth, three of them really left along with your sword in that direction."

All of a sudden, Sesshomaru noticed that the fragment of Halibel's Hollow Mask which he was carrying all this time, it was missing and she was holding it in her hand. He immediately used his superior demonic speed, came close to her and tightly grabbed her wrist. "So, you have decided to steal it in order to get rid of me, isn't it?" He asked in a strict tone. "No, that's not true… it fell down while you were killing those Arrancars, I simply picked it up." She answered in an innocent manner. "Do not play tricks on me otherwise you will meet the same fate as those Arrancars." Sesshomaru replied and then freed her wrist. For some reason, she couldn't help but smiled a bit which was somewhat odd as few minutes she had gone through a traumatic incident. "What's so funny?" He asked in a serious tone. "You can keep it if you want my Mask remnant so desperately." She said while handing him that piece of her Mask remnant. Sesshomaru put it back in his kimono with the slight annoyance clearly visible on his face since he was under the impression that Halibel was probably making fun of him.

"Don't worry, I will no longer run away from you but there's something I wish to say and you will have to listen." She said to him in a serious manner. "Hmm…" he responded. "I know where they have taken your sword. It is the Negal Ruins, the lowermost and most dangerous section of the Hueco Mundo. Coincidentally, it is the same place where they are keeping my comrades. We have to work together only then we can hope to get successful. I know the path to that secret place in the Negal Ruins but I do not have enough power to defeat all the Hollows I most likely confront there. However, you may not know about the location of that place but you can put aside all the Hollows in our path." Halibel told him in the manner of seeking his help. "But…" Sesshomaru tried to say something but couldn't as she interfered before he could have said anything. "Please, believe me… help me in saving my comrades and you will get your sword as well." At first, Sesshomaru thought about what she said and then he replied. "Alright, then but you better try to keep up, I am quite faster than you."

The moment he turned around in order to fly towards the Negal Ruins, he noticed that she was having a hard time even in walking due to the pain and injuries which she sustained. "How much time do you need for the recovery?" He asked without looking towards her. "We have got a pretty long way to go, I will get recovered before we will reach there." She answered. "Hmm… for now, you can hold my mokomoko while I will fly swiftly towards our destination. "I will have to keep track of the path each moment in order to find that place, I won't be able to see everywhere while hanging to your mokomoko like this." She said with slight hesitation. Sesshomaru looked towards her as he was really annoyed after what she just said, it almost made her chuckle but she chose not to. "Fine then, you can get on my back." He replied with slight frustration without looking towards her. She then grabbed his shoulders and leaned on his back as he began to fly towards the Negal Ruins.

* * *

**Karakura Town, World of the Living…**

Jaken had already reached in the present World of the Living along with Royakan and an army of around a hundred Yokais. After coming out of the Bone Eater's well at Kagome's house's storeroom, Royakan immediately spread several three-eyed wolves in all directions and it didn't take them long to find out that Sesshomaru's last location was in the Karakura Town.

Upon sensing the spiritual pressure of such a large number of demons, almost all the Hollows hiding in the Karakura town began to get attracted towards them. Within a few hours, almost entire Karakura town was in the chaos due to a fierce clash between the Yokais and the Hollows. Humans were running here and there recklessly to save their lives from the sudden collapse of buildings, roads, bridges, and crash of things such as poles and vehicles. Several areas were caught into flames due to the explosions of gas pipelines and filling stations. It didn't take long when the news of a massive earthquake got circulated in the entire city.

* * *

**The Urahara Shop…**

Isshin had already left for the Soul Society while both Urahara and Yoruichi were watching TV and suddenly their favorite TV show was stopped due to the breaking news of a massive earthquake hit the city. Both of them were already wondering about the weird sensation of the clash of two different spiritual pressures on an unbelievably large scale while the news of the massive earthquake was enough to confirm their doubt. "Damn! Kisuke, it seems our hunch was right… all this is because demons have appeared in the Karakura town and they are fighting against the Hollows all over the city." Yoruichi said to Urahara in a tensed manner. "Yes, Yoruichi-san, we must do something about this situation, these demons must have arrived in support of Sesshomaru and we will have to calm this situation down as soon as possible," Urahara replied her in a worrisome manner.

"Kisuke, you are looking worried? What happened? It is not usual for you to get this tensed in such situations." Yoruichi asked upon observing him keenly. "I was wondering that Soul Society must have detected the demons by now and they must be about to take some serious action on them," Urahara replied to her. "Hmm… that would be a huge mess Kisuke, it can even lead to a clash between Soul Society and Sesshomaru himself." She responded worryingly. "Don't worry, let's do what we can," Urahara replied confidently.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	15. Chapter 15

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 15: Separated in the Sands**

* * *

"Yes, Yoruichi-san, we must do something about this situation, these demons must have arrived in support of Sesshomaru and we will have to calm this situation down as soon as possible," Urahara replied her in a worrisome manner.

"Kisuke, you are looking worried? What happened? It is not usual for you to get this tensed in such situations." Yoruichi asked upon observing him keenly. "I was wondering that Soul Society must have detected the demons by now and they must be about to take some serious action on them," Urahara replied to her. "Hmm… that would be a huge mess Kisuke; it can even lead to a clash between Soul Society and Sesshomaru himself." She responded worryingly. "Don't worry, let's do what we can," Urahara replied confidently.

* * *

**Negal Ruins, Hueco Mundo…**

Two days had passed but Sesshomaru and Halibel were still traveling through the sands of the Negal Ruins in a hope of finding the hideout of those wicked Arrancars. All of her injuries got healed by now and she was battle ready but her Hollow Mask Remnants hardly grew even a centimetre. Sesshomaru had carried her on his back for around more than a day and during this time they had some conversations which weren't entirely friendly but at least now they had some basic details about each other.

"Why we haven't found anything yet?" Sesshomaru asked Halibel who was walking right behind him at the distance of a few steps away. "Don't worry, have patience, I am sure we are heading in the right direction." She replied normally. "You haven't told me that on what basis you said that you know about their hideout?" He asked her further. "I can't explain this to you… but I just know." She replied while pondering over the random images which were popping up in her mind. "If you are referring to your intuition then it would be foolish of me to allow you to guide me any further," Sesshomaru muttered in a disappointing tone. "Why is it that you think that everyone must act according to you?... You are accompanying me because you want your sword, isn't it? But it is a matter of the lives of my comrades… do you really think I would be this stupid that I would rely on something like intuition in such a critical situation?" Halibel answered upon getting slightly furious by his words while he didn't respond to her any further.

Halibel just began to think that even though he saved her from getting raped by those Arrancars but still how immensely egoistic and self-centred he is. She also remembered their conversation which they had at the beginning of their journey to the Negal Ruins.

_**Halibel's Flash Back**_

"_So, you are a Vasto Lorde?" Sesshomaru asked her while they were on their way as he was flying through the sand while she was lying on his back. "Yes, but how do you know?" She asked curiously. "Someone told me." He replied. "Hmm… Shinigamis?" She asked further. "Yes." He answered and after a break, she asked further, "What else they have told you about the Hollows?"_

_Sesshomaru replied, "that a Hollow can become a Vasto Lorde only if he remains uneaten but devour thousands of other Hollows." Now Halibel's expressions turned to serious from normal. "How many have you devoured so far?" Sesshomaru asked her. "Not even a single one." She replied and after a small pause, she added, "tell your Shinigami friends to rectify their facts, not every Hollow can become a Vasto Lorde no matter how many he devours… I believe that if I won't win alone then I will win as a team but I won't kill anyone unnecessarily." After listening to her answer, Sesshomaru spoke in a serious tone, "don't even think about devouring me, the poison in my veins will melt you." Halibel chuckled slightly upon hearing this. "I didn't mean to amuse you by cracking a joke rather it was a warning because I need you in order to find my sword." He tried to explain his words which only made her chuckle more._

Suddenly both of them sensed as if something was swiftly approaching them while the next moment the sand in a large area began to rise to a great height, taking the form of a gigantic humanoid Hollow made up of sand. "What kind of Hollow is that?" Halibel spoke while wondering in a suspicious manner. "We do not have time to study our enemies we must defeat them as soon as appear." Sesshomaru replied while swiftly rushing towards that gigantic Hollow. The Sand Hollow tried to crush him with his huge punches but Sesshomaru dodged all of them and attacked with his poison claw technique upon reaching close to the Hollow's face. The next moment, he sliced the Sand Hollow in half from his head to his Hollow hole and landed right behind him. The Sand Hollow became motionless while Halibel was surprised to see that he killed such a powerful Hollow in a single blow. Suddenly Sesshomaru felt that as if his feet got stuck in the ground and the next moment, the sand around him began to rise, eventually trapping him inside the gigantic humanoid body of sand. The Sand Hollow's voice echoed, "Ha Ha Ha Ha… I can use all the sand of Hueco Mundo as my body though I am surprised that you destroyed one of my body so easily. Your poison sure is deadly but don't worry, I won't give you another chance."

Now the first body of that Sand Hollow got scattered like ordinary sand while his mouth of the second body extended up to his belly as he was about to shoot a powerful Cero on Halibel. On the other hand, she also charged her spirit energy in order to fire a devastating Cero. Both of them shot their respective Ceros towards each other and they collided in the mid-air. It seemed that Halibel's Cero was able to overpower his, right from the beginning. When the collision of the Ceros shifted quite close to that Sand Hollow, he shot Cero beams from both of his hands into that collision and stopped it from shifting further towards him. Now it was Halibel whose Cero was getting overpowered but before she could have fallen into any trouble, Sesshomaru's release of demonic energy tore open the body of the Sand Hollow from below which weakened his Ceros to a significant extent. Now Halibel's Cero reached his head after deflecting his three Cero beams while Sesshomaru's release of demonic energy also reached his head while tearing through his body. His head got exploded followed by his body when Halibel's Cero combined with Sesshomaru's demonic energy inside his head.

"Are you alright?" She asked while walking towards him. "Such beings can't hurt me so do not waste time in worrying about me." She curled her lips upon listening to his words as she found them displeasing. "Though you have… ah..defeated me.. ye..yet you two won't ge..get away with it." The Sand Hollow's voice echoed in the surroundings.

Suddenly a powerful blast of spirit energy beneath the sands blew both Sesshomaru and Halibel high in the air and the next moment they got trapped in an immensely powerful cyclone due to which an unbelievably large quantity of sand began to swirl in the air. Soon enough both of them not only got buried inside the sand but also trapped in the force of that cyclone which was carrying that sand with it. "Tia! Where are you?" Sesshomaru shouted while he was trapped in the sand movements. "I am right here," Halibel replied in a loud voice. "Hold my hand," she added.

Both of them were desperately trying to reach close to each other by overcoming the force of those powerful winds. It proved to be immensely tough for them to arrive close but they somehow made it, however the moment their fingers were touching each other's and they were about to hold each other's hand tightly, the cyclone vanished with a similar powerful blast of spirit energy which blew both of them very far away from each other.

After sometime when they returned to their senses, they found themselves lying down in the sand extremely far away from each other. Both of them got up at their respective locations and the first thing they remembered was the moment when they were about to hold each other's hand. "It seems we have separated again but I can't stop here no matter what, I will find both him and my comrades." She mumbled with determination. On the other hand, far away from her, Sesshomaru was also wondering about what just happened. "I was so close to her… I must find her as soon as possible before she runs into any trouble." Sesshomaru whispered in his mind while getting up on his feet.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	16. Chapter 16

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 16: An Urge for Reunion**

* * *

Both of them got up at their respective locations and the first thing they remembered was the moment when they were about to hold each other's hand. "It seems we have separated again but I can't stop here no matter what, I will find both him and my comrades." She mumbled with determination. On the other hand, far away from her, Sesshomaru was also wondering about what just happened. "I was so close to her… I must find her as soon as possible before she runs into any trouble." Sesshomaru whispered in his mind while getting up on his feet.

* * *

**Meanwhile in the Karakura town, World of the Living…**

The last two days proved to be extremely chaotic for the Karakura town due to the fierce brawl which took place between the Hollows and the Yokais. Soul Society was quick to react to this situation and hence Captain of the second squad, Soi-Fon was sent to the Karakura town along with her Stealth Force i.e. Onmitsukido. However, before the Stealth Force could have wiped out all the Yokais, Urahara and Yoruichi arrived there and saved the day. Urahara convinced Jaken that he is a friend of his Lord Sesshomaru and then on his instructions, Jaken retreated along with all the remaining Yokais to the underground training ground of the Urahara Shop. Yoruichi along with Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu kept the Stealth Force at bay until all the remaining Yokais were evacuated to safety by Urahara.

Though Urahara and Yoruichi managed to stop this fight from turning into an all-out war between the Yokais and Soul Society yet their action sent a strong message to the Head-Captain Genryusai Yamamoto. When Soi-Fon reported that both Urahara and Yoruichi were found directly involved with the demons, Head Captain didn't hesitate to issue a strict order against them. According to that order, Urahara and Yoruichi must be captured to be executed if they were ever found anywhere in the Soul Society.

This important piece of information was leaked by Isshin to both Urahara and Yoruichi and he also advised them to drop the plan of coming to the Soul Society at such times. But Urahara ignored his warning and decided to infiltrate the Soul Society in upcoming days. He secretly dropped a message to Isshin in order to make all arrangements so that they can easily sneak into there.

* * *

**Back in the Negal Ruins, Hueco Mundo…**

Sesshomaru was swiftly flying in the direction in which he was able to sense the traces of Halibel's spiritual pressure while the piece of her Mask remnant which he was carrying was also proving to be of some help to him. However, despite the best of his efforts, he wasn't confirmed of her whereabouts. He was thinking about her in a slightly worrisome manner and eventually, he recalled a conversation which he had with her. It was actually the very first conversation which they had with each other without any important business behind it.

_**Sesshomaru's Flash Back**_

_It was not so long ago that he started flying through the sands of Negal Ruins while carrying Halibel on his back. On the other hand, it was the first time for Halibel to stay so close to a male and hence she was hesitating in holding his shoulders tightly while she was leaned on his back. It's been several times that his right hand got slipped off of his shoulder at which he asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?" She replied with the feeling of slight unease, "it's nothing!"_

_Sesshomaru couldn't ask her anything any further because he was himself feeling uncomfortable since Halibel's large breasts were continuously getting rubbed against his upper back. "I think it will be better if we try to find our way by traveling through the ground." She spoke after a long break. "Hmm… it would be better." Sesshomaru replied while readily agreeing to her in order to get rid of that feeling of discomfort as soon as possible._

_Upon landing on the ground while they were walking next to each other, Halibel asked him, "what's your name?" Sesshomaru looked towards her and then replied, "Why does it matter?"_

"_It matters because I need a term to call you if needed, I don't even know what are you?" She replied in a slightly serious manner. "It's Sesshomaru and I am a demon." He replied while keep moving. "A demon, you say… never heard of them before." She responded. "I don't know why demons do not exist in your time but 500 years ago the world was full of us," he said in his usual cold tone. "Do you mean you are from the past?" She asked with a slight shock. "Yes, I have arrived 500 years ahead in time through a well." Sesshomaru answered which greatly surprised Halibel._

"_So… Sesshomaru, how your sword…" Halibel spoke after a break in order to ask something from him but was interrupted. "It's Lord Sesshomaru for you." He said in a serious tone while interrupting her. "I am sorry but I can't refer you as Lord." She also replied in a serious manner. "Huh! What are you in this world of Hollows? A civilian, or merely a senior civilian being a Vasto Lorde but in my world, I am the heir of the greatest demon empire in the history of the demons and also the Lord of the West." Sesshomaru spoke proudly._

"_It doesn't make any sense to me… a great position is earned by great deeds not simply by getting born into a royal family or killing others by force." Halibel replied him while curling her lips in order to express her strong disagreement. "Don't worry about such insignificant things… we are together only for a few more days or maybe hours because once I will get my sword, I will return to my time forever." Sesshomaru said in a cold manner after listening to which Halibel recalled how he saved her from getting raped and how he allowed her to stay on his back for an entire day. She looked towards him while remembering those moments and felt as if somewhere in her heart, she didn't like the fact that he will be leaving._

Now all of a sudden, Sesshomaru snapped out of his thoughts because though for a moment but he sensed Halibel's spiritual pressure. "It's her… I found her. She seemed to be quite far away from me but it won't take me too long to reach her, I must reach as quickly as possible and close this chapter ones and for all by finding my Tensaiga." Sesshomaru mumbled to himself and then he transformed into his light orb form and swiftly rushed in the direction from which he sensed Halibel's spiritual pressure.

* * *

**Far away from there, at the place where Halibel was wandering…**

After getting separated from Sesshomaru, she was left all alone in the Negal Ruins to face any unexpected danger on her own but it didn't stop her from keep proceeding forward. She was moving on the way which she found appropriate according to the images which were flashing in her mind lately. Suddenly she sensed a really powerful spiritual pressure of Hollows. Surprisingly, it wasn't the spiritual pressure of one Hollow but a number of Hollows which seemed to be the resultant of the spiritual pressures of their combined spirit energy. Halibel continued to move while trying her best to locate the right direction of this powerful spiritual pressure. However, she was unable to determine its direction as it seemed to be approaching her from all sides.

All of a sudden, she noticed that some powerful Hollows were approaching her from multiple directions. She looked here and there and as soon as she noticed a cave surrounded by the two hills, she rushed towards it in order to limit the directions from which the Hollows can attack her. Upon reaching the cave, she felt as if the collective spiritual pressure of the Hollows had arrived close to her but she decided to finish the Hollows in front of her first.

Once Halibel took shelter in the cave, even more Hollows surrounded her from outside even though she was continuously fighting and exterminating them yet she was slowly getting pushed inside the cave. Suddenly she noticed an earthquake-like sensation as if the ground itself was moving. She rushed towards the mouth of the cave in order to find out the reason behind the tremors. She witnessed that the cave itself was flying high in the sky. "Ha ha ha ha ha… you thought it was some sort of cave where you can hide from us? But this cave and the hills surrounding it were actually a giant hollow fortress. One entity comprises of several basic hollows and together we are even more powerful than a Vasto Lorde." The core Hollow's voice echoed inside the castle.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	17. Chapter 17

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 17: More than just a Reunion**

* * *

Suddenly she noticed an earthquake-like sensation as if the ground itself was moving. She rushed towards the mouth of the cave in order to find out the reason behind the tremors. She witnessed that the cave itself was flying high in the sky. "Ha ha ha ha ha… you thought it was some sort of cave where you can hide from us? But this cave and the hills surrounding it were actually a giant hollow fortress. One entity comprises of several basic hollows and together we are even more powerful than a Vasto Lorde." The core Hollow's voice echoed inside the castle.

Halibel had no choice but to battle endlessly against the swarm of the Hollows which were getting generated from the Giant Hollow Fortress. She was utterly trapped inside the structure and even after fighting continuously for a few hours, the number of Hollows didn't seem to be decreasing. Halibel had slain hundreds of Hollows but hundreds of them were still standing in front of her to battle. Her condition was becoming worse as not only she was extremely exhausted but also running out of her spiritual pressure. Her agility and strength had decreased drastically and now she was finding it hard to keep up with the swarm of those Hollows. It seemed as if it won't be long when she would be in the grasp of those Hollows after becoming utterly helpless and powerless.

On the other hand, not so far away from there, Sesshomaru was using his demonic speed in the light orb form in order to reach her as soon as possible while annihilating any Hollow which was trying to become a barrier in his path. It didn't take him long to reach the place above which the Giant Hollow Fortress was hovering in the air. Sesshomaru was shocked to witness that entity because its spiritual pressure was clearly exceeding Halibel's while he was also sensing her presence inside it. Halibel had also sensed Sesshomaru's presence by now and it immediately recharged her lowered morale.

_**Suggested Music: "The Royal Baths" **__from game__** Prince of Persia: Sands of Time**_

Now Sesshomaru returned to his humanoid form and swiftly rushed inside the Giant Hollow Fortress while ripping apart the Hollows which were getting generated from the outer walls of that huge structure. It seemed as if he was as much desperate to save her as much she was desperate for getting his help at that critical moment. Sesshomaru quickly defeated all the Hollows by using his deadly poison claws which even melted a small portion of the Giant Hollow Fortress.

When he reached inside the cave-like passage of that fortress he noticed that Halibel was terribly exhausted and barely able to keep the Hollows away from her. She was using her physical strength to overcome the Hollows along with swinging her broad sword which was only inflicting deep injuries on their bodies instead of annihilating them. Sesshomaru skilfully used his energy whip to destroy some of the surrounding Hollows as soon as he reached close to her. In the heat of the moment and on the behalf of what he was thinking about her all this time, he was expecting some gratitude from her in return of rescuing her the second time. "What took you so long?" Halibel complained in a frustrating manner while breathing heavily out of severe exhaustion. "What?" Sesshomaru responded in a low voice with slight confusion since he was a bit shocked to find the exact opposite reaction of what he had anticipated. "Huh! Nothing, please take care of these Hollows for a moment." She replied after getting calmed down a bit. Now he began to kill the Hollows which were attacking her while she backed off in order to catch her breath. "Such arrogance!" Sesshomaru mumbled while moving deeper inside the castle after both of them finished almost all the Hollows in the area. "Did you say anything?" She asked as she felt that he mumbled something back then. "Nothing… we are inside this thing hence we should be cautious about inflicting some serious damage to it." He replied to her.

It didn't take them long to reach the innermost chamber of that Giant Hollow Fortress where the core Hollow of that fortress was lying. He was a powerful Hollow with the appearance like that of a regular humanoid Adjucha. He was inside an immovable barrier of energy which was connected with walls and ceiling of the chamber. That entire fortress was actually a living entity which was continuously engaged in the process of giving birth to several basic Hollows. "Ohh so you two have made it this far… but I won't let you go any further… your path ends here… Ha ha ha." The core Hollow said in a horrifying voice and then he directed several basic Hollows towards Sesshomaru and Halibel. Now both of them began to tackle those Hollows and amidst the battle, Halibel said to Sesshomaru, "can you handle all of them?" He looked towards her and replied, "yes but what are you planning to do?"

Now instead of replying him, she rushed towards the core Hollow as soon as she got an opening. The next moment, she stabbed him with her broad sword but it didn't seem to affect him much. "Such minor injuries make no difference because I am the entire fortress, you brainless woman." The core Hollow arrogantly said to Halibel. "I see… then this might make some difference." She replied while summoning immense of amount of Cero energy which enveloped her broad sword and then she swung it, slicing through not only the core Hollow but the entire chamber with a huge wide arc of her Cero.

The core Hollow screamed loudly before falling silent and then entire fortress started to fall apart. All the basic Hollows who were attacking Sesshomaru, started to run out of the castle while the underlying Hollow energy became unstable and began to come out of the fortress in the form of fiery explosions. Sesshomaru noticed that Halibel's sword got stuck in the barrier while the entire inner chamber was about to fall apart. He rushed towards her with his demonic speed, took her in his arms and began to fly out of the chamber, pulling her sword out of the barrier in the process. The moment they escaped the Giant Hollow Fortress, a massive fiery explosion destroyed it completely. Sesshomaru and Halibel got caught in that explosion as well but since Halibel was entirely covered by Sesshomaru, hence it was him alone who got injured by the flames and the broken pieces of rocks.

When both of them hit the sandy ground, it ruptured and they further fell down in the underground portion of the Negal Ruins along with a large amount of sand from the upper portion. Sesshomaru was barely moving because of the serious injuries which he had sustained but it didn't take more than a minute to Halibel to come back to her senses. She came out of the sand and also pulled Sesshomaru out of it as well. She was quite saddened upon witnessing him in such a condition. He received a bloody wound on the right side of his head while his armor was also broken to a significant extent. Halibel sat close to him and gently placed his head on her thigh. She then removed his armor and began to check his other wounds while mumbling, "I am sorry… it was all my doing… I put your life in the danger because of my recklessness." Sesshomaru slowly opened his eyes, he was still not completely in his senses yet he was trying to get up. Halibel held him before he could have got up from her lap and then she spoke in a low voice, "Please don't move like this, you are hurt." Sesshomaru looked towards her and then he looked around after which he realized he was actually lying in her lap. For some time they stayed like this but their peaceful moments didn't last long as the next moment both of them got utterly shook by an immensely powerful spiritual pressure of a gigantic purple Hollow.

It was even bigger than the Giant Hollow Fortress with a bulbous body, long tufts of hair on its back, and a single, large eye which is yellow from inside. It had Gillian masks for fingernails and it seemed as if his entire body was filled with some sort of black liquid which was slightly dripping from some cracks on his body. The next moment, he opened his huge mouth and vomited a strange black colored liquid which surrounded both of them. In no time, several masks of Gillians appeared in that liquid and eventually it turned into a group of Gillians which summoned powerful orb of Ceros by opening their mouth in order to target both Sesshomaru and Halibel from all directions.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	18. Chapter 18

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 18: Caught & Escaped**

* * *

It was even bigger than the Giant Hollow Fortress with a bulbous body, long tufts of hair on its back, and a single, large eye which is yellow from inside. It had Gillian masks for fingernails and it seemed as if his entire body was filled with some sort of black liquid which was slightly dripping from some cracks on his body. The next moment, he opened his huge mouth and vomited a strange black colored liquid which surrounded both of them. In no time, several masks of Gillians appeared in that liquid and eventually it turned into a group of Gillians which summoned powerful orb of Ceros by opening their mouth in order to target both Sesshomaru and Halibel from all directions.

* * *

**Late Night, Area of the 10th Squad, Soul Society…**

Isshin Kurosaki came out of the Senkai Gate and ordered the nearby Soul Reapers to gather in the main barrack for a Squad level meeting. As soon as all the Soul Reapers of his squad left that place, Urahara and Yoruichi also came out of that Senkai Gate and then it disappeared. "Your squad members sure obey you with great respect," Urahara said to Isshin in a slightly funny manner. "Yes, of course… not a single member of my squad has ever disobeyed me so far." Isshin replied while boasting about himself.

"Captain?" A familiar feminine voice echoed from behind. "Err… Ra..Rangiku! What are you doing here? Didn't I order all the members of my squad to gather in the main barrack?" Isshin responded to her in a frustrating manner. "But you already know Captain that I never listen to you," Rangiku replied to him in a casual manner. "He he he he he… looks like there is an exception everywhere." Urahara muttered while laughing in a funny manner with a fan in front of his face. "Oh..kay.. okay… just don't tell anyone that I have also brought my friends along with me." Isshin spoke to her further in embarrassment. "Fine! I will just pretend that I didn't see anything but in return, I want freedom from the paperwork for one full month." Rangiku replied to him and walked away. "Damn! Alright… you got it." Isshin replied with slight irritation.

Now all the three of them secretly headed towards the main building of the Research and Development Department but suddenly they were surrounded by hundreds of soldiers of Stealth Force of Second Division. "Wh..What's this?" Urahara spoke while getting startled in a funny manner. "They knew about our arrival and that means they were keeping an eye on us all this time," Yoruichi spoke in a serious manner. "I knew that you two are going to get me fired someday." Isshin murmured while lamenting funnily. "Madam Yoruichi, you are caught red-handed this time." Soi Fon said to her while coming from the left. "Yes, it does seem like this, for now, Soi Fon." She replied to her with a smile. "And you better don't try to run away because we are under no obligation of not killing you." Byakuya Kuchiki spoke as he appeared on the right side with Renji Abarai. "I expect cooperation from all of you since we do not wish to fight amongst ourselves," Komamura spoke while coming from the front along with Tetsuzaemon Iba. Izuru Kira, Shuhei Hisagi, Rukia Kuchiki, and Nemu Kurotsuchi also arrived there in order to siege all the three of them. "Ha Ha Ha… like a rat in the trap… welcome to the Soul Society, my dear trespassers." Mayuri Kurotsuchi muttered in a playful manner the moment he appeared right behind them.

"So, was it your plan Captain Kurotsuchi?" Isshin asked him. "Indeed, it was my plan… Head Captain Genryusai Yamamoto was extremely angry when he found out that Urahara and Yoruichi have interfered with the high-level mission of those 10 selected Shinigami but he also knew that they will not come into our grasp so easily. That's why, we circulated fake news that all the Captains are absent in the Soul Society and the Lieutenants are stripped off of their powers while in reality, we delivered the actual message to the Captains and Lieutenants in a secret manner… the only Lieutenant who didn't know about all this was Rangiku Matsumoto because I knew that she is more loyal to you than the Soul Society itself." Kurotsuchi explained his plan to Isshin. "Damn! You played dirty this time." Isshin murmured in an infuriated manner. "We already knew that in order to help your friends, you will disclose this false information to them and then Urahara would infiltrate the Soul Society, thinking of it as a perfect opportunity for him… and here you are along with your friends, under my grasp." Kurotsuchi spoke further.

Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin knew very well that it won't be a wise thing to fight all of them because it would only worsen the situation and hence they began to think of a strategy to escape this siege.

"We are finished this time, Kisuke. There is nothing we can do now." Yoruichi spoke frustratingly. "Yes, I think you are right Yoruichi-san but all this is Kurosaki-san's doing. He is the one who gave us the wrong information." Urahara spoke while tilting his face down. "Hey, why are you blaming me for everything? I told you that things are serious over here, don't infiltrate now. It was your idiotic plan." Isshin shouted at Urahara.

"Are they stupid or something? Why are they fighting amongst themselves?" Ikkaku said to Yumichika. "I don't know… maybe they are really frustrated." Yumichika replied to him while observing them.

Now all of a sudden both Urahara and Isshin started to fight in a funny manner where Urahara was pulling Isshin's hairs while Isshin was pushing him away by putting his fingers into his nostrils.

"Ca..Captain Isshin, you are still under siege." Rukia confusingly said to Isshin. "You are the reason we are trapped here. I won't spare you Kurosaki-san, Hado 31, Shakkaho!" Urahara muttered while pointing his palm towards Isshin. "Stop it, you moron!" Isshin shouted back as he grabbed Urahara's wrist and turned his palm towards the ground. Suddenly a moderately powerful orb of crimson red energy got discharged from Urahara's palm and hit the ground due to which a minor crack appeared in it, revealing the underground sewers pathways.

"Stop it already, you jerks!" Yoruichi scolded both of them while holding their necks. "Get aside Yoruichi-san, I won't spare this fool," Urahara spoke in a funny manner. "Damn! It's hard to believe how terribly foolish they are looking." Yoruichi whispered to herself.

"I think we should try to stop them, it doesn't suit them to fight like this in front of all." Sajin Komamura muttered with slight confusion.

"Alright, just shut up now," Yoruichi shouted while standing between them. "Yoruichi, please don't interfere… Hado 4, Byakurai!" Isshin said to her while discharging high-density spiritual energy towards Urahara's feet which he dodged. The crack which Urahara's Sokatsui made in the ground had now widened when Isshin's Byakurai hit the ground.

"What the hell has happened to them?" Renji muttered while watching them.

"Urahara, that's the moment… Getsuga Tensho!" Isshin swung his sword while releasing a moderately powerful energy wave while pointing his sword towards the crack in the ground.

"Blood Mist Shield!" Urahara muttered while summoning a weak and damaged shield.

_**Note: Urahara's Blood Mist Shield is weak because his Zanpakuto is currently damaged. It got damaged by Sesshomaru's poison during their battle.**_

When Isshin's Getsuga Tensho hit Urahara's Blood Mist Shield it spread in the entire area. It not only disturbed the siege around but also destroyed a nearby wall of the building of the Department of Research and Development which filled the area with a lot of dust and smoke.

"Ca..Captain… what do we do now?" Marechiyo asked Soi Fon upon getting startled. "Catch Yoruichi… she is trying to escape." Soi Fon shouted and the next moment hundreds of soldiers jumped high in the sky and approached Yoruichi who just appeared very high in the air. However, all the soldiers of Stealth Force landed down on the ground empty-handed because the thing which was there in the sky was not Yoruichi but only her orange jacket. "Damn! We lost them, all that was their strategy to escape us." Soi Fon muttered angrily.

"Hisagi, we will find them on the surface," Kira said to Hisagi. "Hmm!" Hisagi responded. "You, stay on the surface as well, Iba. I will protect the building of Squad 1." Komamura spoke to Iba before leaving. "Let's go Renji, we will pursue them through the sewers," Byakuya ordered as he jumped in the underground pathways. Yes, Captain, I am coming." Renji replied and then began to follow him. "Come Yumichika, don't fall behind," Ikkaku spoke to Yumichika while jumping into the sewers. "Huh! I wore a new uniform today." Yumichika muttered and then he jumped down hesitatingly.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	19. Chapter 19

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 19: Yin-Yang**

* * *

"Damn! We lost them, all that was their strategy to escape us." Soi Fon muttered angrily.

"Hisagi, we will find them on the surface," Kira said to Hisagi. "Hmm!" Hisagi responded. "You, stay on the surface as well, Iba. I will protect the building of Squad 1." Komamura spoke to Iba before leaving. "Let's go Renji, we will pursue them through the sewers," Byakuya ordered as he jumped in the underground pathways. Yes, Captain, I am coming." Renji replied and then began to follow him. "Come Yumichika, don't fall behind," Ikkaku spoke to Yumichika while jumping into the sewers. "Huh! I wore a new uniform today." Yumichika muttered and then he jumped down hesitatingly.

* * *

**La Prisión Real **_**(English: The Royal Prison)**_**, Negal Ruins, Hueco Mundo…**

La Prisión Real was located at the center of the underground section of the Negal Ruins. It was a greatly spacious chamber with damaged and uneven ground, four huge pillars at its center, and a huge gate on the innermost wall. It was quite dark there with little to no light except some moonlight at its center which was coming in through the windows located at a great height.

It's been several days since both Sesshomaru and Halibel were lying unconscious in that chamber. Sesshomaru was lying flat on her back while Halibel was lying on his side, facing him with her head resting on his arm. Almost all of Sesshomaru's injuries got healed by now except a few critical ones which were no longer critical. Suddenly the sound of footsteps echoed in that huge chamber, it was the first time for someone to arrive into that chamber ever since Sesshomaru and Halibel were locked there. Sesshomaru began to regain his consciousness but he was feeling extremely dizzy. He couldn't get up and hence he looked here and there to figure out where he actually was. He noticed the strange place and then his sight caught unconscious Halibel whose head was resting on his arm all this time. "Tia!" He spoke her name as he put his hand on her shoulder and shook her a bit. She seemed to be getting conscious as well as she slowly moved his hand to her face in order to rub her eyes. "I..I can't get up." She mumbled as her head was spinning as well. "Get up Tia… do you know what is this place?" Sesshomaru spoke to her once again. She tried her best to get fully conscious and overcome the dizziness. As soon as she came back to her senses, she noticed that she was lying very close to him and thus she tried to get up quickly out of the embarrassment. The moment she lifted her head up, a slight painful moan escaped Sesshomaru's mouth as his arm was under her head for several days. She realized that as well and embarrassingly spoke in a low voice, "Oh, I am sorry." Sesshomaru didn't reply and then both of them got back to their feet. Now before they could have even figured out about their situation, their sight caught two girls who seemed to be keeping an eye on them all this time.

Both of them were so similar in the appearance that they were looking like twins. Both had aqua colored eyes and tattoos around their eyes too. However, the left one had short red hair while the right one seemed to have longer blue hair which was parted in pigtails. Their uniforms were slightly similar to the school uniforms while not just the hair but most of the other things they had on their bodies were red in color for the right one and blue for the left one. The remnants of their Hollow masks seemed to be acting as some kind of headband, both of which go vertically down the middle of their heads before reaching their eyebrows.

"It seems their romantic slumber is finally over." The blue one muttered in a slightly playful tone. "Yeah, our arrangements are completed too." The red one replied to her. "You two… you are Arrancars, aren't you?" Halibel said in a serious tone. "Yes, we are… and I am Yang." The red one answered. "I am Yin," The Blue one introduced herself as well.

"What do you want from us?" Sesshomaru asked them in his usual cold tone. "Well, for now… we simply wish to return what we have taken away from you both." Yang replied to him and then she threw his Tensaiga towards him. Sesshomaru caught the sword and was a little surprised to know that it was really his Tensaiga since they handed it over so easily. "Where are my comrades?" Halibel asked upon seeing that they willing gave his sword to him. Now Yin pushed down a lever due to which some rocks from the right side of the chamber moved down, revealing unconscious Mila Rose and Sung-Sun who were hanging on the walls with the thick chains. "Mila Rose… Sung-Sun!" Halibel mumbled worryingly upon seeing her comrades.

"Now that we have returned what you two were looking for, it's the time for you two to provide us with what we want," Yang said in a serious tone. "Yes, it's the time to return the favor," Yin spoke as well and the next moment Hooleer entered the chamber from behind Sesshomaru and Halibel.

"Hmm… speak!" Sesshomaru said in a serious tone. "You have got your sword and it is looking quite sharp and deadly," Yin replied while smiling. "Now stab that woman with your sword, right into her heart," Yang said to Sesshomaru. He got a bit shocked to know their demand though he didn't react to their words. Halibel, on the other hand, looked towards him and it didn't take her long to realize that he won't hurt her. "What's wrong? You just have to stab your sword in her heart and then you will be able to return to your world with your sword." Yin said to him again in an insisting manner. "Or you can't do it because you have fallen in love with her?" Yang muttered in a playful tone. Halibel's eyes got a bit widened upon listening to her words as logically, Sesshomaru had no other reason for not doing this except which Yang just mentioned. "I am under no obligation to obey any of you." Sesshomaru replied Yang and Yin coldly.

"Huh! He seems to be a brat." Yin murmured with a little annoyance. "Don't worry Yin, he might be a fool but she seems smart," Yang said to Yin. "You woman, pierce that Demon's heart with your weapon," Yin demanded from Halibel. "Yes, do it! After all, you are a Hollow just like us and it is for the betterment of all the Hollows." Yang spoke as well with a bizarre eagerness reflecting in her tone. "Sacrifice yourself or sacrifice him… the choice is yours now." Yin said to her loudly with a cunning smile on her face. "Shut up, you two!" Halibel spoke loudly. "I am not going to do anything like this," she added while speaking in a very strict tone. "Curse you!" Yin mumbled furiously. "We knew you two won't obey us easily… Hooleer, crush their bones." Yang furiously ordered Hooleer who was standing right behind Sesshomaru and Halibel.

"Go and get your comrades, I will handle this one alone." Sesshomaru said to Halibel while walking towards Hooleer. "Hmm…!" She responded and immediately rushed to free both of her comrades.

Now Hooleer began to walk towards Sesshomaru while he simply put Tensaiga in its sheath and stood unarmed. Suddenly his spiritual pressure began to skyrocket with a dense release of demonic energy from his body. Even Hooleer stopped in his tracks upon sensing the powerful spiritual pressure of Sesshomaru. The next moment, Hooleer shot ten beams of Ceros towards Sesshomaru from his ten fingers. However, Sesshomaru turned into an orb of energy and began to swiftly hover across the chamber. Hooleer now opened his mouth and released a stream of black liquid with several Gillians while Sesshomaru landed on the ground in his true form. He was almost as large as Hooleer in his Dog Demon form while the poison which was dripping from his claws and jaw was destroying the Gillians upon contact. Within no time he killed almost fifty Gillians which Hooleer released. This time Hooleer opened his mouth but instead of releasing more Gillians he shot a huge and immensely powerful Cero beam towards. He dodged it as he loped on the Hooleer. The next moment, Hooleer's neck was getting crushed between Sesshomaru's jaws while his claws were penetrating and ripping his bulbous body apart, eventually killing him in the process.

Both Yang and Yin were not just shocked but also terrified upon witnessing that scenario while Halibel was also greatly shocked to see such a powerful and horrific form of him since she never even imagined him to be like this.

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_Hello my dear readers, hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am writing this particular Author's Note to inform to you guys that the new characters i.e. "Yang and Yin" which I have introduced in this chapter, are not going to have their original plot (from the Bleach movie – Diamond Dust Rebellion). According to my story, Yang and Yin are powerful Arrancars who have no connection with Kusaka. However, they have a master whom I am going to introduce in the next chapter along with various other details which would clarify some other core concepts of my story. If you have any additional question or doubt then please feel free ask it through your reviews or comments, or PM, I will be looking forward to your comments,_

_Take care…_


	20. Chapter 20

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 20: History of Hollows**

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Within no time he killed almost fifty Gillians which Hooleer released. This time Hooleer opened his mouth but instead of releasing more Gillians he shot a huge and immensely powerful Cero beam towards him. He dodged it as he loped on the giant Hollow. The next moment, Hooleer's neck was getting crushed between Sesshomaru's jaws while his claws were penetrating and ripping his bulbous body apart, eventually killing him in the process.

Both Yang and Yin were not just shocked but also terrified upon witnessing that scenario while Halibel was also greatly shocked to see such a powerful and horrific form of him since she never even imagined him to be like this.

After finishing off Hooleer, Sesshomaru now shifted his attention towards Yang and Yin. On the other hand, they also took their weapons out in order to battle against him. Yang was wielding a flaming sword while Yin was wielded an electrically charged whip. Sesshomaru was walking towards them while barking at them in a frightening manner. Meanwhile, Halibel was trying to wake both Mila Rose and Sung-Sun up but they seemed to be quite heavily intoxicated.

"He seems too powerful for both of us… there's no way we will be able to stand a chance against him without using our secret technique." Yin said to Yang as she was scared to see Sesshomaru coming closer. "Bu..But… our Lord has forbidden us to use that technique and we can't afford to upset him." Yang replied her with confusion while getting frightened by the Daiyokai.

Now just as Sesshomaru reached close enough to them suddenly an unbelievably powerful spiritual pressure shook everyone in the chamber. The next moment a jet-black humanoid figure came out of the giant gate and stood right behind Yang and Yin. Both of them immediately got on their knees in order to bow down to him while his spiritual pressure was intense enough to even freeze Sesshomaru in his tracks. That jet-black humanoid figure seemed to be a male entity with shining eyes like that of golden crystals. There were several golden gemstones like things inscribed on his chest as well as both of his forearms.

"It seems you two were giving quite a trouble to our guests." That mysterious male entity spoke to both Yang and Yin. "We are sorry Lord Orkos," Yang said to him in a low voice. "We are glad you came, my Lord!" Yin spoke to him as well. "You two should leave now and get some rest. I will take over from here." He replied and then both of them bowed to him one last time before leaving.

"Oh, there you are Halibel, please come in front of me. Don't worry about your comrades… they are fine just asleep because of intoxication." Orkos said to Halibel in a polite manner while Sesshomaru was still wondering about whether he should attack him or not. Now Halibel walked towards the center of the chamber and stood in front of Sesshomaru. "Amazing! It seems you have grown up and become a powerful Vasto Lorde just as I wanted." Orkos said further while smiling in a pleasant manner. "What do you mean?" Halibel asked him in a serious manner upon getting suspicious of him. "Do you really think that it was just a coincidence that among millions of Hollows you managed to survive and evolve into a powerful Vasto Lorde even without devouring a single one until today?" He asked in a slight playful manner. Halibel was speechless upon hearing his words as she didn't take long to realize the possible reason behind it. "It was I who protected you from the other Hollows until today and also I am the one who is the mastermind behind all the events which took place in your and Sesshomaru's life in the recent days." He spoke further after listening to which even Sesshomaru got utterly shocked. "Who are you?" She asked while greatly wondering about his identity. "I am Orkos, the firstborn." He replied in a confident manner. "Oh! Are you trying to say that you are the first Hollow?" She asked further. Now he chuckled at first and then muttered upon getting serious all of a sudden, "this is truly a shame that our kind is named after a curse which was set upon us by the evil Soul King."

"Anyways, why did you do all this?" Halibel asked abruptly as she decided to first understand his purpose behind trapping both her and Sesshomaru. "Hmm… now that's a good question, alright let me narrate a story to both of you because Yin and Yang must have made the purpose behind all this sound pretty insane. I do not exactly want your deaths, especially not yours, Halibel." Orkos replied to her. "Hmm… sure, tell us." She responded.

"You see, the earthly demons are existing in the World of the Living since fifty to sixty thousand years but we i.e. whom you refer as Hollows, we came into existence hardly eight to ten thousand years ago. Same goes to the Soul Reapers, maybe they came into existence a year or two before us but the gap is insignificant. In the beginning, the Soul King turned spirits of the dead into spirit beings and settled them in the realm which he created i.e. the Soul Society. I have come into existence by that time. I saw how Soul Society fell into discord in order to resolve which the Soul King had to create the powerful Soul Reapers. On the other hand, our kind just started to come into existence and populate the Hueco Mundo, the evil Soul King declared us as the ultimate threat to the Soul Society. The universal powers favored him over us because they used to recognize him as an enforcer of law and order in the universe. And then we were cursed by that fiend, that evil Soul King. We were given these Hollow mask remnants and the Hollow hole to suppress our actual potential and that's how we became Hollows." Orkos narrated the history of the Hollows to her while his attempt of the narration had generated strong anger and grief in him.

"What happened afterward?" Halibel asked curiously.

"Oh yes, afterward… there was someone whom the evil Soul King feared most of all and it was the higher truth which gave birth to our kind. Thus, Soul King decided to hide that higher truth for eternity. He once again played that dirty game of bringing law and order in the realms. The universal power favored him once again and the decision was taken in his favor. He decided to create two seals and in doing so he used the blood and spirit energy of the two most powerful Daiyokais of that time. They were still infants but their demonic energy was truly exceptional." He narrated further after a small pause.

"Who were they? Halibel asked curiously because Sesshomaru was also listening to his story while standing behind her in the demon form.

"One of them was the father of Sesshomaru, i.e. Inu no Taisho while the other one was Magatsuhi, the Daiyokai with whom the great priestess Midoriko is sealed inside a jewel, known as Shikon no Tama. Priestess Midoriko was the one who herself brought these two infants here. This is the reason due to which Soul King has forbidden the contact of a Hollow or a Soul Reaper with a demon." Orkos explained the role of the earthly demons to both Sesshomaru and Halibel.

"But what business you have got with Sesshomaru if the seal was prepared from his father's blood?" Halibel asked in a serious tone.

"Thankfully, we were bestowed upon by the key to unlock those seals. The key to the seal made up of Inu no Taisho's blood is you while the key to the one made up by Magatsuhi's blood is I. The seal can be broken only if one of you act as a key and another as a lock because Sesshomaru's bloodline is same. And this is the reason that Halibel, you are so special and I had to take care of you all this time. This is the reason why I and you share the relation of brother and sister because both of us are the key to this damned seal." Orkos answered while smiling with joy.

"Brother and sister you say but a few days back, I was going to get raped because of the filthy game that you played with us," Halibel spoke in a very strict tone. "I am extremely sorry my little sister and I am also grateful to Sesshomaru for saving you in time. I have already punished the remaining Arrancars for their deeds." Orkos replied her in a low tone while looking towards the ground. "Don't call me your sister," Halibel mumbled angrily while Sesshomaru also began to bark at him as he was about to attack.

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**To be continued…**

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_**Author's Note:**_

_Hello my dear readers, hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am writing this particular Author's Note to inform you guys that the new character i.e. "Orkos" which I have introduced in this chapter is not going to have his original plot (from God of War: Ascension). According to my story, Orkos is the ancestor of all Hollows. I would also like to inform you that in this chapter I have introduced some new concepts about the Hollows and the Soul Reapers, they may or may not fit according to Bleach's original plot because these are my own created modifications of the Bleach concepts. Hopefully, you will like them. If you have any additional question or doubt then please feel free to ask it through your reviews or comments, or PM, I will be looking forward to your comments,_

_Take care…_


	21. Chapter 21

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 21: Through the Heart**

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This is the reason why I and you share the relation of brother and sister because both of us are the key to this damned seal." Orkos answered while smiling with joy.

"Brother and sister you say but a few days back, I was going to get raped because of the filthy game that you played with us," Halibel spoke in a very strict tone. "I am extremely sorry my little sister and I am also grateful to Sesshomaru for saving you in time. I have already punished the remaining Arrancars for their deeds." Orkos replied her in a low tone while looking towards the ground. "Don't call me your sister," Halibel mumbled angrily while Sesshomaru also began to bark at him as he was about to attack.

Now Sesshomaru loped on Orkos but his claw went right through him and hit the ground because his body disappeared like a shadow. "I see… you act very much like a beast when you are in this form." Orkos said to Sesshomaru after reappearing on his right at a sophisticated distance away from him. Sesshomaru roared loudly and once again attacked with his huge claw but Orkos used his superior speed and arrived right behind him. He moved with such a great speed that it almost seemed as if he disappeared and then reappeared behind the Daiyokai. This time instead of attacking him with his claws, Sesshomaru tried to bite him but Orkos grabbed his jaws with his bare hands and said, "There is a huge gap between your and my powers, it is useless for you to even think of attacking me."

Sesshomaru backed off and began to release a large amount of poison but it seemed that his poison had no effect on him. Moreover, Orkos released fumes of the black material from his body which dissipated the poison in no time. Now both of them stood facing each other in order to battle head to head. Sesshomaru's claw and jaw attacks were continuously going right through the Orkos while he was showering powerful kicks and punches on the Daiyokai's gigantic body with the help of his incredible speed and teleportation technique. Soon Sesshomaru began to get dizzy after receiving some powerful hits from Orkos, upon realizing which he decided to make his move. Suddenly a jet black liquid appeared beneath the Daiyokai's legs and soon it seized all the four of his legs, making them stick to the ground. "The time is ripe for the commencement of the ritual to unlock the first seal," Orkos spoke while swiftly climbing Sesshomaru's huge body as he stood on top of his head.

Suddenly Halibel shot a beam of golden yellow colored Cero towards Orkos but he blocked it with his arms. "Leave him alone," Halibel spoke furiously. Now Orkos shot some jet black liquid with his hand and it stuck on Halibel's right arm. "Come now little sister, I have granted you enough power to penetrate the heart of this demon even when he is in his true form," Orkos spoke while releasing more black liquid from his hands which stuck on Sesshomaru's jaws. He was using that black liquid as huge extensions of his own hands as he was pulling Sesshomaru's jaws apart using that liquid which seemed to be solidified in branches-like shape. "Pierce his heart, Halibel… otherwise, he will die now." Orkos spoke further. "No, please… leave him be," Halibel replied him in a pleading tone while rushing towards Sesshomaru. "If you will pierce his heart then there will be some chances of his survival but if I made you do it forcibly then he will die for sure… so, do it now!" Orkos initially responded to her in a normal tone but shouted strictly at the end of his statement while pulling Sesshomaru's jaws, causing him immense pain. Halibel couldn't say anything for a few moments out of her helplessness while her eyes were slowly getting teary upon seeing Sesshomaru like this. "Forgive me, for I couldn't save you, like you saved me." She whispered to herself with immense sorrow while touching Sesshomaru's huge foreleg. "Do it, Halibel!" Orkos shouted at her angrily. The moments which she spent with him began to flash in her mind, one after another. The moment when he saved her from those Arrancars, when he carried her on his back while she was injured and when he saved her from the Giant Hollow Fortress. "I am sorry…" She whispered sadly in a low voice then she closed her eyes and pierced Sesshomaru's heart with her broad sword. Sesshomaru roared loudly out of pain which also broke her heart. "Very good little sister, now rotate your sword slightly in the clockwise direction to break the seal," Orkos said to Halibel while holding Sesshomaru's jaws tightly. "No Orkos, he is in pain and he will probably die like this… please, stop it now," Halibel pleaded to Orkos with immense desperation to save Sesshomaru. "I won't let you fail me after I have arrived so close to my goal." Halibel opened her eyes and looked towards both Sesshomaru and Orkos. "I beg of you," she said as tears flowed down her cheeks. "Don't be a fool, Halibel. Unlock the seal or watch him dying painfully." Orkos replied her angrily after which she had left with no choice and thus she moved her broad sword clockwise while penetrating his heart. As she did, a lot of blood spilled out of his wound which drenched her almost completely. A painful roar escaped Sesshomaru's mouth which eventually turned into the silence as he reverted back to his humanoid form and fell down on the ground motionlessly.

"Well done Halibel, you have made me proud today," Orkos said to her while smiling as if she had accomplished something great while she completely ignored his words and immediately rushed towards Sesshomaru. However, the moment she reached close to him entire chamber began shaking due to which the walls and pillars started cracking. "He does not have much time little sister but you can still save your comrades," Orkos said to her in a serious tone upon listening which she glared at him and then immediately rushed towards her comrades.

"Mila Rose… Sung-Sun… Get up both of you." She shouted at them desperately while shaking them intensely. When they didn't come out of the effect of the intoxicants she even slapped them hard which made them somewhat awakened, especially Mila Rose. "Wh..Where am I?" Mila Rose murmured upon getting up. "Uh… my head." Sung-Sun mumbled while getting partially awake. "Mila Rose, this place can crumble down any moment, we have to escape right now." She said to her and then lifted Sung-Sun and made her lie down on Mila Rose's back.

Now Mila Rose started running as fast as she can with Sung-Sun on her back while Halibel was behind them and shooting powerful Cero beams to clear her path and save her comrades from falling rocks. When they came across an opening to the upper surface of the Negal Ruins, Halibel stopped and told Mila Rose, "escape from this opening and go upwards until you cross the Forest of Menos and reach the white desert." Mila Rose got confused and asked her, "Halibel-Sama, you are not coming with us?" Halibel looked away and answered, "I will meet you in our hideout I have something important left in that chamber."

"What is that important thing My Lady and what happened to your eyes?" She asked with concern upon noticing that her eyes were seemed like as if she had cried. "I can't tell you anything right now Mila Rose but don't worry about me, and it's nothing in my eyes, perhaps some dust, I will be fine… now go!" Halibel replied her after turning around and then she rushed toward the chamber which was about to crumble down completely. "Noooooooooo… Halibel-Sama, come back!" Mila Rose shouted upon noticing the situation of the area but Halibel ignored her and left with immense speed. She couldn't even pursue Halibel because the falling of heavy rocks due to the crumbling of the ceiling had completely blocked the path. "Be safe, Halibel-Sama!" Mila Rose murmured and then escaped to the upper surface of Negal Ruins.

Orkos, Yang, and Yin had already arrived quite far away from there. Now Orkos plucked one of the golden gemstones out of his chest and crushed it into pieces. "The first phase of our great plan is over and I am sure that my Halibel must have safely escaped La Prisión Real by now," Orkos murmured to himself. On the other hand, Halibel didn't take much time in returning back to the La Prisión Real. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She shouted loudly while swiftly rushing towards him. However, the moment she reached him, the entire chamber fell down and turned into a huge pile of heavy rocks in the blink of an eye.

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**To be continued…**


	22. Chapter 22

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 22: Beyond the Truth**

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Orkos, Yang, and Yin had already arrived quite far away from there. Now Orkos plucked one of the golden gemstones out of his chest and crushed it into pieces. "The first phase of our great plan is over and I am sure that my Halibel must have safely escaped La Prisión Real by now," Orkos murmured to himself. On the other hand, Halibel didn't take much time in returning back to the La Prisión Real. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She shouted loudly while swiftly rushing towards him. However, the moment she reached him, the entire chamber fell down and turned into a huge pile of heavy rocks in the blink of an eye.

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**Meanwhile, in the Soul Society…**

Both Yoruichi and Isshin had already escaped the sewers and reached the area of Squad of 4 while several squads were still searching them in the underground ways. "Haha all of them must be cursing us to their heart's content right now," Isshin said to Yoruichi while laughing on the fact that most of the squads were still carrying out the search operation in the sewers. "Indeed but where is Kisuke?" Yoruichi responded and then asked him. "He entered the building of the Department of Research and Development the moment I used Getsuga Tensho." He replied to her. "That's great! All we have to do now is to wait until he returns," she spoke with a smile. "I just hope that he remain undetected," Isshin spoke with concern. "Don't worry! He got a device which disables building's detection system for him," she said while winking towards him. "Oh my… Ha ha ha… he is such a devil," he responded gladly.

On the other hand, Urahara had successfully reached the laboratory located inside the building of the Department of Research and Development. Due to the ongoing disturbance in the Soul Society, the security inside the building was minimal. Urahara took the complete advantage of the situation and started to access all the secret information which was stored in the servers. However, he didn't find much information about Sesshomaru except that he is a demon and Soul King banned the interaction of demons with any Soul Reaper or Hollow, a very long time ago. After accessing all the secret data in the laboratory, he decided to find the information related to Sesshomaru in the library.

Far away from him, Yoruichi and Isshin had parted their ways because Isshin wanted to find Rangiku in order to ensure her wellbeing. Yoruichi proceeded towards the area of Squad 2 to deliberately gain the attention of the troops in order to buy more time for both Urahara and Isshin. However, soon enough she was confronted and sieged by none other but Soi Fon and the Stealth Force. "So, finally I have caught you, Madam Yoruichi." Soi Fon spoke upon appearing right in front of her. "I was expecting you, Soi Fon." She replied with a smile on her face. Now in the blink of an eye, Soi Fon approached Yoruichi in order to attack her but she immediately dodged her kick and backed off in order to prepare herself. "So, you want a fight, is that it?" Yoruichi asked in a playful manner. "Any doubts about it?" Soi Fon replied while rushing towards her. Yoruichi rushed towards her as well and then both of them attacked each other with some powerful punches and kicks which produced mild pressure waves upon clashing.

"There is important news for you, Captain." A messenger from her squad said to Soi Fon upon arriving there. "What is it?" She asked. "Both Isshin and Urahara are captured." The messenger replied. Soi Fon smiled after getting the message while Yoruichi doubted the messenger to be true and murmured, "how can it be? There's no way they can get caught this easily."

"You heard him, don't you Madam Yoruichi? Now there's no use of fighting, you should surrender as well." Soi Fon said to her but she ignored and continued fighting her. Now she started to look for an opportunity to push Soi Fon away from her and escape from there, in order to find the truth about this information. "Hado 31, Shakkaho!" Yoruichi muttered in the middle of the fighting while generating high-temperature flames on her palm and shooting the collected crimson energy as a blast towards Soi Fon, which she couldn't completely escape since it came to her as a shock. However, she saved herself from the heavy damage which the technique could have done to her but she ended up falling on the ground hard. "I see, so you have changed the way you battle." Soi Fon spoke to her in a serious tone while getting up. "I had to because currently, I don't have enough time to spend with you," Yoruichi replied to her and escaped from there.

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**The uppermost section of the Hueco Mundo…**

Aizen was roaming around in the white desert and staring at the sands while deeply thinking about his schemes. Suddenly Gin Ichimaru approached him from behind with the usual cunning smile on his face. "Captain Aizen," Gin spoke in a low voice. "What is it, Gin?" He responded. "I just received Tosen's words from the Soul Society. All the squads are on high alert because Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin were caught red-handed while they were trying to infiltrate the building of the Department of Research and Development." He replied. "Is that so, what is the status right now?" Aizen asked further with slight curiosity. "Both Urahara and Isshin are captured but all the squads are still looking for Yoruichi, even we are ordered to return as soon as possible." Gin answered according to what Tosen told him.

"Weird, I can't believe that both Urahara and Isshin are captured this easily." He muttered upon listening to Gin's answer. "Actually, after all the squads failed to find them, Captain Kurotsuchi took the help of Rangiku Matsumoto. She was made to believe that Head Captain and all the other squads are going to kill them if they didn't surrender in time. After which, the stupid Rangiku worked with the other squads to get them captured. Now all the three of them are in the prison, only Yoruichi is left." Gin told him further. "Still, I can't believe that Urahara surrendered this easily, he must be having some tricks hiding up his sleeves," Aizen replied to him.

"Hmm but Captain Aizen, shouldn't we return to the Soul Society now?" Gin spoke after a break while walking a few steps ahead of him. "Lately, I am sensing some interesting things here in the Hueco Mundo and that's why the insignificant matters of the Soul Society are none of my concern." He responded to Gin with a smile on his face. "But we will have to do something about it otherwise we might fall under suspicion." He said in an insisting manner. "Indeed, and that's why I want you to leave for the Soul Society right away while I will return after a night walk here in the Hueco Mundo," Aizen replied to him in his usual polite tone. "Hmm as you say, Captain Aizen, I should leave for the Soul Society right now." He said while walked away. "Very well!" Aizen responded with a mysterious smile on his face.

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**Palace of the Olympian Gods, Heavens…**

It was a breathtakingly beautiful palace located within the highest known realm which was connected to the Mount of Olympus of the World of the Living. It was the residence of Selene, Goddess of Moon along with the several other Gods and Goddesses. From there she used to regulate all the moons of the universe with her power and authority.

Selene's beauty was beyond what a human mind could perceive. She had extremely fair complexion with golden blonde hair. Her golden crown was actually more like a helmet covering upper half portion of her face with her long hairs coiled inside of it. A long transparent piece of cloth was attached to the back of her helmet falling up to her hips. She was wearing golden armor on a softer inner armor inside of which there was an exposing dress made up of a very thin white fabric. She was a well-endowed Goddess with large firm breasts and wide hips. Her long and beautiful legs were fully exposed from the lower portion of her dress which was hardly covering them. She was also wearing golden high-necked sandals with armor-like appearance. Her overall appearance was that of an amalgam of both a warrior and a beautiful Goddess.

Lately, she seemed to be disturbed with something. "It's Sesshomaru, but he seemed to be hurt and in a life-threatening condition. It's such a misfortune that I can't even leave this place. I have no choice but to aid him using my power, I hope it would be enough." Selene whispered to herself upon sensing Sesshomaru's situation and then she began to direct her healing energy to him.

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_Hello my dear readers, hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am writing this particular Author's Note to inform you guys that the new character i.e. "Selene" which I have introduced in this chapter is not going to have her original name (Athena) and plot (from Warriors Orochi 4). According to my story, Selene is the Goddess of the Moon. Hopefully, you are liking my story so far, please stay tuned._

_Take care…_


	23. Chapter 23

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 23: A Bond is Forged**

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Her long and beautiful legs were fully exposed from the lower portion of her dress which was hardly covering them. She was also wearing golden high-necked sandals with armor-like appearance. Her overall appearance was that of an amalgam of both a warrior and a beautiful Goddess.

Lately, she seemed to be disturbed with something. "It's Sesshomaru, but he seemed to be hurt and in a life-threatening condition. It's such a misfortune that I can't even leave this place. I have no choice but to aid him using my power, I hope it would be enough." Selene whispered to herself upon sensing Sesshomaru's situation and then she began to direct her healing energy to him.

* * *

**Meanwhile at the other places of Hueco Mundo…**

Ever since Halibel had pierced Sesshomaru's heart in order to break the first seal, something had changed in the Hueco Mundo. As if she had altered the very natural functioning of the world of Hollows since a large amount of them had started to appear all over the place. Powerful elemental Hollows such as Hooleers, Giant Hollow Fortresses, and Sand Hollows had started to abandon the secret portions of Negal Ruins and began to travel to the upper portions of the Hueco Mundo. Even the Menos Grande had started to move to the white desert of the uppermost section more frequently than usual. New Hollows had started to take birth in the Hueco Mundo at a much faster rate while the ones who were already residing there, were developing much more aggressive and destructive tendencies.

Since Aizen was in the Hueco Mundo all this time, the knowledge of all these large scale and critical changes in the Hollows reached him quite fast. He couldn't figure out the reason behind all this but it didn't take him long to make good use of it. He created a large number of Gargantas in the uppermost sections of the Hueco Mundo in order to direct as many Hollows as possible to the Soul Society. He deduced that this move would buy him more time as his experiment was still far away from the point where he wanted it to be.

* * *

**An unknown underground portion in the Negal Ruins, Hueco Mundo…**

The devastating scenario of that area was enough to conclude the level of the damage which occurred due to the destruction of La Prisión Real. However, it seemed to be designed in such a way that entire damage remained constrained within the chamber and only a little part of the rubble fell down in the lower chamber while both Sesshomaru and Halibel had fallen down along with it.

The chamber which was right below La Prisión Real was Catacumbas Secretas _(English: Secret Catacombs). _It was also a gigantic chamber that contained a few large graves made up of rocks and a circular pool of glittering water at its center. Halibel fell down on the edge of that pool but Sesshomaru fell right into it. It took her a few moments to come back to her senses and figure out where exactly she was and what was happening in her surroundings.

She looked here and there in order to find Sesshomaru and soon enough she noticed the pool right beside her. "I..It's hard to believe but..is it really water? And that too in the depths of Hueco Mundo?... Oh no, he must have fallen inside of this pool. I must bring him back before anything happens to him." She murmured to herself shockingly and jumped into that pool without wasting any moment. Since she possessed shark-like abilities thus it didn't take her long to reach Sesshomaru who was unconscious, bleeding and drowning in the depths of that pool. She immediately rushed towards him and grabbed his hand before he could have gone down any further. She pulled him into her arms and started to swim back to the surface.

After they arrived on the surface and she made him lie down on the ground. She noticed that the symbol of the crescent moon on his forehead was glowing while he was still holding his Tensaiga firmly which also seemed to be pulsating at the moment. However, he was bleeding heavily from his chest and wasn't breathing at all. Now she quickly untied his damaged armor and put it aside, afterward she removed all of his upper clothes and pressed his belly in order to make him vomit the water after which he coughed and started to breathe a little. Now she tore the sleeves of his kimono into strips in order to dress his injury. She took the piece of her broken Hollow Mask out of his Kimono, placed it on the wound on his chest and then dressed his wound with the strips and pieces of his kimono.

_**Note: Halibel's Hollow Mask's remnant proved to be a good material to absorb her destructive energy which entered Sesshomaru's body when she pierced his heart.**_

She was observing him with a lot of concern in her eyes and she was also worried for him as he was still unable to breathe properly. "It seems the symbol of the moon on his forehead and his sword are transferring some sort of healing energy to his body and maybe that's the reason he is still alive, after all that. But he is in pain, he still can't breathe properly, I have to do something about it." She spoke softly while putting one of her hand on his cheek and then she slowly leaned down on him. She parted his lips with her hand and put her mouth on his in order to blow air and ease his breaths. Soon enough his breaths turned to normal and though she pulled back a bit yet she stared at his face for a few minutes as the feelings which she had for him, began to overwhelm her.

* * *

_**After a few weeks**_

It's been a few weeks and Halibel took care of injured and unconscious Sesshomaru all this time. She had explored several other portions of that underground structure and also managed to gather a lot of resources such as water, clothes, etc. It was only because of Moon Goddess, Selene's powerful healing and Halibel's care that Sesshomaru survived such a life-threatening phase. And then, one day he regained his consciousness, he was feeling weak and dizzy while his vision was blurry. Halibel was also glad to see him awake but she couldn't say anything to him because of the guilt of injuring him in such a fatal way while he protected her several times during their journey. The burden of guilt which she was carrying all this time on her suddenly increased several folds when she found him awakened.

He didn't say anything to her either as he was busy in trying to figure out where he was and what was happening when he was unconscious. It didn't take him much time to realize that they were still inside some underground structures of Negal Ruins while she took care of him all this time. After a long pause, she got a bit close to him in order to remove the old bandages from his wound, though she was still not saying anything and avoiding eye-contact with him. After removing the bandages she started to clean his wound with a wet cloth. "Ahh!" A slight moan escaped Sesshomaru's mouth when mistakenly she pressed a bit harder on his wound. "I am sorry," she spoke to him in a low voice. "Where are we?" He asked. "We are right below the chamber inside of which you fought against the Orkos." She replied.

After she completed dressing his wound, she noticed that he was trying to get up on his feet but was unable to do so. She felt bad upon seeing him in such a miserable condition and hence the next moment, she stood beside him and stretched her hand towards him. "Hold my hand, Lord Sesshomaru, don't try to get up on your own in this condition," she said in a soft tone. Sesshomaru stared at her face for a moment as she referred him as Lord Sesshomaru but then he grabbed her hand and got up by her support. For a moment both of them stared at each other without realizing that they were still holding each other's hand. "You shouldn't feel guilty," Sesshomaru said while breaking the silence between them as he turned his face away from her. She also snapped out of her thoughts and immediately released his hand. "No, I should… after all, I am the one who brought this upon us," she responded in a sad tone while looking down." Sesshomaru spoke after a break, "you have already done more than enough, Tia..so, do not blame yourself anymore, alright?" Halibel mumbled while looking towards his face, "mm..hmm." Now both of them headed towards the uppermost portion of the Hueco Mundo together.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	24. Chapter 24

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 24: Mutual Benefits**

* * *

For a moment both of them stared at each other without realizing that they were still holding each other's hand. "You shouldn't feel guilty," Sesshomaru said while breaking the silence between them as he turned his face away from her. She also snapped out of her thoughts and immediately released his hand. "No, I should… after all, I am the one who brought this upon us," she responded in a sad tone while looking down." Sesshomaru spoke after a break, "you have already done more than enough, Tia..so, do not blame yourself anymore, alright?" Halibel mumbled while looking towards his face, "mm..hmm." Now both of them headed towards the uppermost portion of the Hueco Mundo together.

* * *

**The Urahara Shop, World of the Living…**

Tessai, Jinta, and Ururu were still there along with Jaken, two-headed Dragon Yokai, Royakan and all the other Yokais who came along with Jaken in order to help Sesshomaru. All of them were extremely worried because even after so many days they haven't received even a single update from either Sesshomaru or from Urahara and Yoruichi. Morever, they were strictly told by Kisuke Urahara that they won't be taking any action on their own without receiving any sort of signal from him, Yoruichi or Isshin. All of them closed the shop and gathered in the underground training space.

Suddenly Jaken's attention was caught by the chatters of other Yokais who were saying that Sesshomaru might already be dead and they are only wasting their time and lives in this foreign world. Now Jaken got angry on them and began to rant about Sesshomaru's greatness and power. Royakan who was sleeping got disturbed by the noise and he asked Jaken to stop shouting. Royakan then approached Ururu and Jinta along with Jaken in order to convince them to do something about the situation. Both of them successfully managed to convince both the kids and then all the four of them approached Tessai in order to convince him though it seemed more like they were simply forcing their decision on him. In the end, Tessai had to accept their proposal but with a condition that first, they will enter Soul Society in order to make sure that both Urahara and Yoruichi are doing fine, only then they will move to the Hueco Mundo in order to find Sesshomaru. Both Jaken and Royakan agreed on this after some arguments and then Tessai activated the huge interdimensional traveling device in order to open a portal to the Soul Society. As he did, all of them rushed inside it like an angry and frustrated mob. It was very different from what Tessai decided as he wanted to sneak into the Soul Society without anyone noticing them.

* * *

**The White Desert, the uppermost section of the Hueco Mundo…**

Sesshomaru and Halibel had successfully arrived on the uppermost section and currently, they were heading towards her hideout. Halibel insisted him to spend some time in her hideout because he was still not fully recovered from his fatal injury. On their way, they were also noticing the berserk nature of the Hollows which was due to the destruction of the first seal. They were sensing multiple Gargantas at close and far distances as if a lot of Hollows were going out of the Hueco Mundo.

While they were on their way, suddenly they felt an immensely powerful spiritual pressure and it seemed as if it was approaching them.

The nature of that spiritual pressure was exactly similar to that of a Shinigami but it was so powerful that none of the two were ready to accept that it really belonged to the one. "Tia, you must go now, it seems that this spiritual pressure is coming towards us," Sesshomaru said to her in a serious tone. "But..what about you?" She asked with concern. "You will only be in my way that's why you must leave and don't worry about me, I can take care of this alone," he replied while moving away from her in the direction of that powerful spiritual pressure. "I see, so it's a goodbye," she said in a rather sad tone. "I will come back to you ones this is over," he replied as he walked away. "Oh," she responded with slight shock as his words clearly meant that even he wanted to meet her again.

Halibel had left by now while Sesshomaru also stopped walking and began to wait for that spiritual pressure to come close to him. The next moment, he noticed that a man was approaching him and it was none other but Sosuke Aizen.

"I presume that you are Sesshomaru, the greatest mystery for everyone in the Soul Society," Aizen said in his usual polite tone upon confronting him. "Indeed I am, but who are you, Soul Reaper?" Sesshomaru asked him. "Honored to make your acquaintance, I am Sosuke Aizen, a Captain in the Soul Society." He replied with a mysterious smile at his face.

"Are you here to battle against me?" Sesshomaru asked him in a serious tone. "Not exactly, I was just having a night walk and noticed that you are around," Aizen answered. "Hmm," Sesshomaru responded. "Are you wondering about these Hollows and Gargantas too?" Aizen spoke as he walked up to Sesshomaru and stood beside him. "Such a phenomenon should be of your interest, not mine." Sesshomaru replied in a cold manner. "Actually, the things here in the Hueco Mundo seem more interesting to me than the things which are taking place in the Soul Society right now. Though I am surprised to see this sudden change in the Hollows yet I am already aware of the fact that this is going to be settled soon enough because all they intend is to utterly destroy the Soul Society." Aizen replied while looking towards Sesshomaru.

"Don't you wish to protect your world, being a Shinigami? It's not like you can't fight against these Hollows, I can sense your power even though you are trying to suppress it." Sesshomaru asked Aizen while carefully observing his power. "You seem quite insightful, besides I don't think saving Soul Society is worth my time since I have got some important pending research work. However, I think that you would surely like to go to the Soul Society." Aizen replied to him. "Why do you think so?" Sesshomaru asked while narrowing his eyes. "Because your Shinigami friends i.e. Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihoin are captured by the Gotei 13 while these powerful Hollows are swarming up the Soul Society since the last few weeks which must be making the situation even worse for them," Aizen explained the entire scenario of Soul Society to Sesshomaru.

"It must be their personal matter and thus I will prefer to return to my world instead of interfering in their plans." Sesshomaru replied and began to walk away from there. "Their matter doesn't sound much personal to me since they took the risk of infiltrating the Soul Society only to find out the reason for which Head Captain Genryusai wishes to kill you," Aizen spoke further upon watching him going away.

Now Sesshomaru stopped and looked back towards Aizen with a slight shock. "So tell me now Sesshomaru, you wish me to open a Senkai Gate to the World of the Living or to the Soul Society?" Aizen asked him with the usual cunning smile at his face. "I hope you are not trying to lure me into some kind of trap in the Soul Society because if it is so then I will not hesitate to obliterate the entire place." Sesshomaru said in a strict tone. Now Aizen began to open a Senkai Gate to the Soul Society and muttered, "I think I am correctly anticipating your choice and the reason behind it as well, so then, allow me to lend you a little help."

"In case this is not a trap then obviously you are not doing this as a favor to me," Sesshomaru spoke while walking towards the Senkai Gate. "Haha, of course, it is not a favor but it would be beneficial for both of us. This is all which I can tell you for now," Aizen answered while chuckling a bit.

* * *

**The Soul Society…**

Just as Aizen told Sesshomaru, Soul Society was indeed in chaos, there was rubble and fire everywhere. Almost all the troops of all the squads were preoccupied with the troublesome situation. Captains and Lieutenants were busy in defending the regions of their respective squads while Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin were still locked in the temporary prisons of the barracks of Squad 1. The sky of the Soul Society was full of Gargantas from where powerful Basic Hollows, Menos Grandes, and even Adjuchas were coming out. It was almost like the state of emergency all around while the spiritual pressure of the Hollows was powerful enough to terrify the Shinigami soldiers in the entire Soul Society.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	25. Chapter 25

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 25: Sesshomaru in the Soul Society**

* * *

Just as Aizen told Sesshomaru, Soul Society was indeed in chaos, there was rubble and fire everywhere. Almost all the troops of all the squads were preoccupied with the troublesome situation. Captains and Lieutenants were busy in defending the regions of their respective squads while Urahara, Yoruichi, and Isshin were still locked in the temporary prisons of the barracks of Squad 1. The sky of the Soul Society was full of Gargantas from where powerful Basic Hollows, Menos Grandes, and even Adjuchas were coming out. It was almost like the state of emergency all around while the spiritual pressure of the Hollows was powerful enough to terrify the Shinigami soldiers in the entire Soul Society.

* * *

**Area of Squad 9, the Soul Society…**

The situation in the area of Squad 9 had gone out of the hands of the Soul Reapers because its Captain, Kaname Tosen was busy observing other portions of the Soul Society so that he can inform of anything unusual to Aizen. Lieutenant Hisagi was guiding the entire squad on his own but since too many men of his squad had already died in the battle thus he was forced to allow the Hollows roam freely in the area and attack them only in groups and that too in a stealth manner.

Suddenly a Senkai Gate appeared and Sesshomaru came out of it with the motive of returning the favor to both Urahara and Yoruichi. He started to move forward in search of both of them while completely ignoring the ongoing fierce battle between Shinigamis and the Hollows which was taking place all around him. He was passing through a narrow alleyway while Hisagi was hiding at the rooftop of one of the houses in that row. He got shocked upon seeing Sesshomaru and decided to take him down before his presence worsened the situation in the Soul Society.

All of a sudden, a Hollow appeared right behind him but before it could have moved his giant body to attack him, Sesshomaru's energy whip not only penetrated right through his mask but also shoved him away. Hisagi was quite shocked to realize the awareness level of Sesshomaru because he just took down a Hollow without even looking at it. "Reap, Kazeshini!" Hisagi murmured while releasing his Shikai.

Sesshomaru noticed him and stopped moving while Hisagi threw one of his Kazeshini blades at him. Sesshomaru easily dodged it by jumping in the air but two Hollows loped at him from opposite sides in the midair. He immediately unleashed his energy whip and cut both of them down while doing a backflip before landing on the ground. Just as he landed on the ground, the chain of one of the Kazeshini blade got wrapped around his arm while the other one got tangled with his energy whip. "You better deal with these Hollows instead of drawing me in an unnecessary fight." Sesshomaru said to Hisagi in a serious tone but it was clear from Hisagi's attitude that he had no plans of letting him go that easily.

The next moment, Sesshomaru unsheathed his Tensaiga and shattered Kazeshini into multiple fragments with a powerful swing of his sword backed by his superior demonic energy. "Damn! He destroyed my Zanpakuto so easily, but how?" Hisagi mumbled to himself upon getting terrified by the scenario of the destruction of his Zanpakuto. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, began to walk away from there with the anticipation that Hisagi won't follow him with a broken Zanpakuto. However, the persistent Shinigami Lieutenant stood right in front of his path and spoke "I won't allow you to ridicule me like this… Hado 63, Raiko…aaahh!" An orb of yellow lightning began to generate on the palm of his hand but before he could have shot it on Sesshomaru, a deep cut at the left side of his torso from Sesshomaru's Tensaiga, made him lose all the control while the accumulated energy of Raikoho exploded due to which he received several injuries on his right arm and right side of the torso.

"Out of my way!" Sesshomaru spoke while shoving Hisagi in the building at the right side with a powerful punch and then he headed in the direction of the area of Squad 4 while slicing through the Hollows on his way.

* * *

**Area of Squad 11…**

Squad 11 was the only one where the situation was much better in comparison to the other Squads. For warriors such as Zaraki Kenpachi, Ikkaku, and Yumichika, it had become heaven with the abundant availability of powerful monsters against which they were gladly testing their might by uncontrollably slashing them one after the other. Suddenly, Kenpachi felt something and then he immediately stopped fighting and began to focus on that feeling.

"Watch out Captain, what's wrong?" Ikkaku asked him with great confusion as he cut down a frog-like Hollow which was about to attack his Captain from behind. "You feel it too, Ikkaku… don't you?" Zaraki asked him with a grin on his face. "Yes Captain, it's that powerful demon and it seems that he is here in the Soul Society," Ikkaku replied him while battling against the Hollows at the same time. "I think, now is the time when he will face our Captain!" Yumichika said to Ikkaku as they stood back to back while facing the Hollows.

"You guys handle the situation over here because I am not going to miss this chance of having fun at any cost," Zaraki said to both of them while rushing in the direction from where he was sensing the powerful spiritual pressure of Sesshomaru. "Oh! Wait for me, Kenny." Yachiru spoke loudly as she started to follow him. "No, Yachiru… you stay here, I want to face him all alone." He replied before he got completely disappeared from her sight. "Hmm… Kenny seemed so happy, I hope he will take care while having fun." She mumbled to herself with concern.

"It looks like Captain is really desperate to cross swords with that demon," Yumichika uttered while fighting. "It is obvious because he hasn't confronted anyone so powerful before. However, since he has left, I will be the one to take down the maximum number of Hollows," Ikkaku replied him. "Hah! Not until I am here." Yumichika responded with a smile.

* * *

**After some time in the area of Squad 4…**

Sesshomaru had already reached the area of Squad 4 and the condition over there was almost the same as that of the Squad 9. Hollows were slowly dominating the soldiers and the Kido abilities were not enough to stop them. He noticed that a Soul Reaper was sieged by several Hollows including one Adjucha like that of a giant monster goat. She was none other but Isane Koketsu, the Lieutenant of Squad 4. Isane was badly frightened and she was desperately trying to get free from the grasp of those Hollow until she got shocked to feel the powerful demonic spiritual pressure of Sesshomaru which increased her fear even further.

He noticed how overwhelmed she was and thus he decided to save her life so that in return she could provide him with the details of the whereabouts of Urahara and Yoruichi. The moment those Hollows were about to tear her body apart, the swift multiple slashes of his energy whip took all of them down while the remaining ones got vanished with a single hit of his poison claw.

Now Isane slowly got up on her feet while Sesshomaru walked up to her and said. "I need some information." She stared at him in the wonderment for a few moments and then replied in a low voice, "what is it?"

"Tell me where can I find Urahara and Yoruichi?" Sesshomaru asked in a serious tone. "Amm… I..I don't know… umm… forgive me please." Isane replied to him with great hesitation and began to walk away from there in her wrecked state. "Wait, Isane." Retsu Unohana's voice echoed from behind all of a sudden. "Captain!" Isane whispered with a slight shock upon witnessing her Captain.

The moment Sesshomaru felt the powerful presence of Retsu Unohana, he immediately drew his sword since Urahara already told him about the capabilities of Captain level Soul Reapers. "You can put your sword back into its sheath since Squad 4 is dedicated to healing the wounded and not to injure unnecessarily." She spoke to Sesshomaru in her usual polite tone while walking towards Isane. "Besides, I thank you for saving my Lieutenant," she added. "But Captain, he is a…" Isane mumbled to her but was interrupted.

"I have no use of your thanks but I am seeking the answer to my question." Sesshomaru uttered. "Urahara and Isshin were captured but this invasion by Hollow freed them while Yoruichi was detected in the Squad 2 area the last time we saw her, you should head in the South-West direction," Unohana replied after which he walked away from there.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	26. Chapter 26

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 26: Sesshomaru VS Zaraki Kenpachi**

* * *

"You can put your sword back into its sheath since Squad 4 is dedicated to healing the wounded and not to injure unnecessarily." She spoke to Sesshomaru in her usual polite tone while walking towards Isane. "Besides, I thank you for saving my Lieutenant," she added. "But Captain, he is a…" Isane mumbled to her but was interrupted.

"I have no use of your thanks but I am seeking the answer to my question." Sesshomaru uttered. "Urahara and Isshin were captured but this invasion by the Hollows freed them while Yoruichi was detected in the Squad 2 area the last time we saw her, you should head in the South-West direction," Unohana replied after which he walked away from there.

* * *

**At the border of Squad 4 and Squad 2…**

Sesshomaru had almost entered the Squad 2 while continuously trying to find Yoruichi by detecting her spiritual pressure but suddenly he detected another very powerful spiritual pressure that belonged to none other but Zaraki Kenpachi, who was desperately looking for him. "There is no sign of Yoruichi around but it seems that someone else is approaching me and he is not like the other Shinigamis whom I have confronted so far." Sesshomaru murmured to himself as soon as he started to feel Kenpachi's spiritual pressure.

"My… my… this demon sure got one hell of a spirit energy. It seems that I can fight against him with my complete strength unleashed from the start." Kenpachi muttered with the excitement while taking his eye-patch off unleashing his complete spiritual pressure. "He is close by but he is oozing such a large amount of spiritual pressure that it is getting hard for me to predict his exact position." Sesshomaru spoke while keep walking deeper inside the area of Squad 2. "Get ready demon, I am coming ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Kenpachi shouted while drawing his Zanpakuto as his yellow spiritual pressure engulfed him, making him look like a yellow comet as he was approaching Sesshomaru.

At the last moment, Sesshomaru anticipated Kenpachi's position and immediately shot his energy whip in that direction which only sliced his eye-patch which he had already thrown away. Suddenly a powerful burst of spiritual pressure cracked the ground and destroyed the barracks around revealing Kenpachi who just swing his Zanpakuto on him. Sesshomaru hardly unsheathed his Tensaiga at the time of their collision and thus their swords engaged in a powerful clash but Kenpachi's monstrous momentum provided him with the upper hand in this weapon deadlock. As a result, he managed to shove Sesshomaru back up to a significant distance, destroying some barracks in his path. Both of them were still engaged in a weapon deadlock and currently, they were inside a barrack into which Kenpachi shoved Sesshomaru. "Hah! I wonder if you are truly as powerful as everyone is claiming over here." Kenpachi taunted while his blade was still clashing against the Daiyokai's as both of them were trying to overpower each other. "You seem to quite overestimate yourself for a mere Shinigami." Sesshomaru responded while swiftly charging his demonic energy.

The next moment, he unleashed a powerful burst of his demonic energy which not only blew the entire barrack to pieces but also shoved Kenpachi far away from there. "Hahahaha amazing, you have just made my day by displaying your raw power, now let's fight to the death!" Kenpachi said to Sesshomaru in excitement with his spiritual pressure still skyrocketing.

Now both of them stared into each other's eyes for a few moments while summoning more of their respective spiritual pressures before rushing towards each other in a fierce manner. They collided and clashed their swords with such a devastating force that it gave the mild tremors to the ground of the Soul Society while the erupting shockwaves shattered several barracks and buildings around them. The entire area got filled with dust and smoke clouds, amidst of which Sesshomaru was standing on his feet but Kenpachi had not only been pushed away but also been brought down to his one knee.

"The swing of your sword… it was none like I have ever faced before, I give you that much." Kenpachi spoke while standing up and once again taking the fighting stance. "This is just the beginning." Sesshomaru responded in a serious tone. "Now you are making me a lot more interested in you than I already was. So let me ask demon, what's your name and who exactly are you?" Kenpachi asked with a grin on his face. "The name is Sesshomaru and I am the prince of Dog Demon empire, what about yourself Soul Reaper?" He answered Kenpachi and afterward questioned him in return as well. "I am Zaraki Kenpachi, the Captain of squad 11." He answered Sesshomaru.

Now both of them rushed towards each other with incredible speed and once again ended up in a powerful weapon deadlock with one another which was radiating a lot of sparks of destructive spirit energy. This time Kenpachi used his raw power and somehow managed to push Sesshomaru back while he immediately attacked with his energy whip. The hit from the energy whip inflicted a normal injury on his right cheek but instead of defending himself, Kenpachi continued to move ahead with a grin of excitement on his face. Sesshomaru also increased the speed and intensity of his energy whip attacks and inflicted several injuries all over Kenpachi's body before he could have even reached him. However, for Daiyokai's surprise, all these injuries were merely making the Soul Reaper even more excited to fight instead of slowing him down. Now before Sesshomaru could have devised a new strategy, Zaraki reached close enough and swung his Zanpakuto at him with the immense power backed by his massive spiritual pressure. Though he dodged it at the last moment yet that powerful swing not only destroyed his armor but also inflicted a cut on his torso.

Zaraki didn't realize that it was enough to annoy Sesshomaru, who was now thinking about getting rid of him. Kenpachi once again rushed towards Sesshomaru in the heat of the battle while the later did the same. However, the moment they were about to clash with one another, Sesshomaru shot his energy whip towards his Zanpakuto and it got wrapped firmly on its blade. Before Kenpachi could have freed his sword, he jumped high in the air and threw his Tensaiga towards him. Kenpachi got a bit shocked to realize that the blade of the demon sword was penetrating right through the middle of his torso. On the other hand, Sesshomaru landed on the ground right behind him while firmly holding the blade of Kenpachi's Zanpakuto close to soul reaper's own neck with the help of his whip.

"This ends here, Zaraki Kenpachi," Sesshomaru spoke in a serious tone. "Huh! You want to leave the moment we started to have fun." He replied while releasing the Zanpakuto from his grip and then he turned around and grabbed it by the other hand in order to get freed from the energy whip. However, Kenpachi's move proved to be of no use as Sesshomaru used his demonic speed to hold his Zanpakuto in the similar pose by his energy whip and now he was right in front of him. The next moment, Sesshomaru hit Kenpachi's belly with an immensely powerful punch backed by the power of his poison claw technique. The punch not only scorched a major portion of his torso along with his Shihakusho and Captain's Haori but it also made him vomit a lot of blood from his mouth. Now Sesshomaru immediately grabbed the hilt of his Tensaiga which was still stuck in Kenpachi's torso and pulled it back while pulling his energy whip simultaneously. Streams of blood erupted out of his neck and torso while Sesshomaru shoved him inside a barrack with a powerful kick which ultimately crumbled down and buried fallen Kenpachi.

Now just as Sesshomaru began to walk away from there, he listened to a familiar voice. "I think it is the first time when I am seeing Kenpachi with a fitting opponent in the battle," Yoruichi spoke from behind. "Yoruichi, I was looking for you," Sesshomaru responded to her. "Besides, that last move of yours was quite fancy, I hope he won't die by the injuries," she spoke further. "No, his spirit energy is more powerful than others of your kind but still insufficient to stand against me," Sesshomaru replied to her. "Yes, I was very much observing it," she said in a playful tone. "Shall we retreat now?" He asked. "Not before we take everyone along with us," she replied. "What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked with slight confusion. "Your Yokai army is also here, we have to take them as well along with Urahara and one more of our friend," she answered. "Hmm… that must be Jaken." Sesshomaru mumbled and then both of them headed to their destination.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	27. Chapter 27

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 27: When Sesshomaru Met Byakuya I**

* * *

"No, his spirit energy is more powerful than others of your kind but still insufficient to stand against me," Sesshomaru replied to her. "Yes, I was very much observing it," she said in a playful tone. "Shall we retreat now?" He asked. "Not before we take everyone along with us," she replied. "What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked with slight confusion. "Your Yokai army is also here, we have to take them as well along with Urahara and one more of our friend," she answered. "Hmm… that must be Jaken." Sesshomaru mumbled and then both of them headed to their destination.

* * *

**Area of the 10th Squad…**

As soon as Isshin and Urahara got freed from the prison amidst the chaos, the former rushed towards the area of his squad in order to battle against the Hollows to protect his squad members. After Isshin successfully reached there, everyone in his squad stood up in his support, ignoring the fact that he was declared as an offender by the Central 46. Due to the combined efforts of entire squad 10, the assault of the Hollows couldn't prove to be as much devastating as it had been for other squads.

Isshin was fighting with his Shikai released and he was continuously charging forward, cutting all the Hollows down in his way while his Lieutenant Rangiku was providing him with the cover by using the Shikai of her Zanpakuto Haineko. After some time he ended up getting isolated from his squad members because most of the soldiers of his squad were fighting in the center which was dense and full of buildings while he had arrived on the outskirts of his squad's area which was comparatively lagging in construction. However, the moment he decided to fall back to the center, he noticed something which he couldn't overlook. Far away from there in the south, a lot of Hollows were concentrated at one spot and it seemed as if they were trying to utterly obliterate that area by destroying the buildings and even digging up the ground.

"What's going on?... What those Hollows are up to? At first, the all-out attack on the Soul Society and then their bizarre behavior. That area seems to be the region of squad 5 but why so many hollows are gathered in one spot? I must go and see it myself. I can't allow them to succeed if it is some kind of plan." Isshin mumbled to himself before rushing in the direction of the spot around which the Hollows were gathered. However, before he could have left, suddenly he heard a familiar voice. "Hey, Captain! Where are you going all alone?" Rangiku shouted upon seeing him leaving. "You handle the situation from here, Rangiku since I am going to take care of something important, don't worry, I will be back soon enough," Isshin replied her and disappeared from there. "Hmm… take care, Captain." Rangiku whispered with concern.

* * *

**Kuchiki Family Manor, Area of Squad 6…**

Since Urahara couldn't find any significant information about the Yokais in the buildings of 12th Squad while his Zanpakuto had got repaired as well, hence now he infiltrated in Kuchiki Family Manor because it was the only place in the Soul Society where the ancient written records were kept protected.

Luckily, Yoruichi's guess was right about Urahara as she had brought Sesshomaru nearby Kuchiki Family Manor in search of him. The moment both of them were about to enter the manor, a sudden sensation of a very powerful spiritual pressure forced them to stop moving any further.

"The spiritual pressure isn't bad. It seems that the Shinigami who is approaching us would be a worthy opponent." Sesshomaru said to Yoruichi. "Yes, he's really a good one, the Captain of Squad 6, Byakuya Kuchiki, I told you about him during our conversation, didn't I?" She replied. "Hmm I want you to fall back to a safe distance otherwise you will end up being in my way during the battle." He told her as he turned towards the direction from which he felt the spiritual pressure. "You don't have to battle against him, we can escape as well, Sesshomaru," She responded in an insisting manner. "No, I do not want unnecessary pursuers, let me get rid of him here and now," Sesshomaru spoke in a serious manner after which she understood that he won't leave without a fight and thus she didn't say anything else afterward.

Now both of them noticed that something was approaching them with immense speed. At first, it seemed like something with an immense glow but the next moment Yoruichi realized that those were the hundreds of blue-white glowing rods of energy summoned through the Bakudo 62, Hyapporankan. "Watch out, Sesshomaru!" She shouted while jumping very high in the air in order to dodge them. Sesshomaru immediately unleashed energy whips, one in each of his hands and began to swirl them around, deflecting almost all the energy rods coming his way. "What the hell! These rods seem thrice in quantity in comparison of the actual Hyapporankan technique." She mumbled with a slight shock while she was also quite surprised to witness that Sesshomaru successfully deflected each and every energy rod using his whips, even though they were threefold in numbers and that too shot from three different angles.

Now Yoruichi landed on the ground right next to Sesshomaru on the other hand, Byakuya also appeared at a significant distance away, right in front of them. "Byakuya, we do not have to fight against each other when Soul Society is already going through such destruction. We are not your enemies." Yoruichi said to him in a hope to elude his clash with Sesshomaru. "Offenders of the Soul Society automatically become my enemies, Hado 33, Sokatsui," Byakuya responded to her in a cold manner and then he murmured while discharging a torrent of blue flames from the palm of his hand while pointing it towards both her and Sesshomaru.

"Behind me!" Sesshomaru abruptly told Yoruichi while unleashing his raw demonic energy as he stepped in front of her. She managed to hide behind him right before Sokatsui hit his demonic energy and caused a blast. However, the force of Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure dissipated the smoke and flames in no time. Now Byakuya stared at the Daiyokai with the expression of minor surprise upon realizing that his Sokatsui couldn't even put a scratch on him. However, he didn't allow this surprise to demoralize him and the next moment he uttered, "Hado 73, Soren Sokatsui!" He shot a massive amount of blue energy in the form of a wave of the concentrated blast towards Sesshomaru through his palms.

It didn't take the Daiyokai more than a moment to realize that this time the upcoming wave of energy was too powerful to get deflected by his spiritual pressure alone and thus he immediately unsheathed his Tensaiga. Yoruichi this time retreated back to a safe distance while he successfully stopped the entire wave of the concentrated blast by his Tensaiga backed by his demonic energy. However, none of the two noticed when Byakuya disappeared from his position and appeared high in the midair, right above Sesshomaru. Already preoccupied with the energy wave of Soren Sokatsui, Sesshomaru left with no choice but to defend himself with his left forearm when Byakuya swung his Zanpakuto on him. As a result, he received a deep cut on his forearm but somehow managed to push him back with the burst of his sheer demonic energy.

"Stop, Byakuya! All of us need to unite our strength and fight against these Hollows before more of our people are slain." Yoruichi shouted at Byakuya but it seemed that her words fell only on deaf ears since he was busy in crossing swords with Sesshomaru. Both of them were moving at very fast speed and clashing their blades with as much force as they were able to. However, being a Daiyokai, Sesshomaru seemed to be slightly overpowering Byakuya in speed as well as in the might.

"You are not only powerful but skilled in the combat as well. However, you have made a grave mistake by infiltrating the Soul Society and I am here to make sure that you pay for this." Byakuya said to Sesshomaru in his usual serious tone upon getting pushed back by him. "Even you seem to be a worthy fighter but currently you are nothing more than a mere obstruction in my path which I will remove at any cost." Sesshomaru replied in a similar tone. "Hmm tell me your name, demon?" Byakuya asked. "Sesshomaru!" He responded. "Beware Sesshomaru! Because I am sworn to annihilate each and every being who wants to harm the Soul Society," Byakuya spoke with a great determination. "Give me your best shot because anything lesser than that will cost you your life, Byakuya Kuchiki." Sesshomaru replied him in a cold tone.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	28. Chapter 28

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 28: When Sesshomaru Met Byakuya II**

* * *

"You are not only powerful but skilled in the combat as well. However, you have made a grave mistake by infiltrating the Soul Society and I am here to make sure that you pay for this," Byakuya said to Sesshomaru in his usual serious tone upon getting pushed back by him. "Even you seem to be a worthy fighter but currently you are nothing more than a mere obstruction in my path which I will remove at any cost," Sesshomaru replied in a similar tone. "Hmm tell me your name, demon?" Byakuya asked. "Sesshomaru," He responded. "Beware Sesshomaru because I am sworn to annihilate each and every being who wants to harm the Soul Society," Byakuya spoke with a great determination. "Give me your best shot because anything lesser than that will cost you your life, Byakuya Kuchiki," Sesshomaru replied him in a cold tone.

After a slight break, Byakuya pointed his finger towards Sesshomaru and muttered, "Hado 4, Byakurai." The next moment, swift lightning bolts discharged from his fingers and targeted the Daiyokai. He dodged all of them with the help of his demonic speed and attacked Byakuya with the poison claw technique. The Shinigami managed to evade the attack at the last moment but the poisonous fumes somehow reached his right arm and slightly injured his bicep. In order to stop the poison's effect from spreading, he took off his Captain's haori and threw it aside.

"Now deal with this… Scatter, Senbonzakura," Byakuya spoke as he released his Shikai. "Byakuya, you need to stop before this fight can turn into an all-out war," Yoruichi said to him in a loud voice. "If you truly want us to stop this battle then surrender along with your entire gang," he replied while maintaining his focus on the battle. "Sesshomaru, at least you listen to me," she requested him upon realizing that Byakuya won't listen to her. "I will try to end this battle as soon as possible by defeating him quickly," Sesshomaru responded her while continue fighting. "Aaaarrrrggh… both are alike… idiots!" She muttered frustratingly as none of them was ready to listen to her and abandon the battle.

Now Sesshomaru rushed forward with great momentum for a head-on clash but Byakuya immediately began to move backward while directing the petal-blades of Senbonzakura towards the Daiyokai. The moment he witnessed the upcoming barrage of Senbonzakura, he put his Tensaiga back into its sheath and unleashed two energy whips while continue to head towards him. Soon enough it turned into a fatal duel where Sesshomaru was inflicting injuries on Byakuya's body with his energy whips while Senbonzakura's petal-blades were continuously cutting Sesshomaru as he was rushing ahead. There were multiple cuts and scratches all over their bodies and just as Sesshomaru was about to catch Byakuya, he attacked with the destructive Kido technique, Byakurai. The Daiyokai managed to dodge some of the lightning bolts but eventually got hit by one or two of them. However, it didn't stop either of them and this time, the moment Byakuya released lightning bolts from his fingers, Sesshomaru took out his Tensaiga and slashed it with a powerful sword swing back by his demonic energy. As a result, an explosion pushed both of them away from each other.

It was that moment when both of them got some rest amidst the heat of the battle and they were shocked to realize how heavily both of them had injured each other in such a short time during their fight. "You are indeed a worthy opponent, Sesshomaru. I think I will have to unleash my full power against you." Byakuya said while getting up on his feet. "You put up a much better fight than I anticipated but don't think you will be able to continue this play with your current power and skills," Sesshomaru complimented him as well. "I know and that's why it's the time for you to behold my true power, Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya replied while letting go of his sword. The next moment, several giant blades appeared in the ground in a pattern of two rows in the middle of which Sesshomaru was standing.

"Sesshomaru, get away from there, quickly!" Yoruichi shouted at him upon sensing the danger. Suddenly, those giant blades turned into a large number of petal-blades and started to rush towards Sesshomaru in the form of multiple streams. However, it didn't take him long to realize that it won't be wise to face such an assault head-on and hence he immediately adopted his light-orb form and escaped the siege of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Now Byakuya and the entire barrage of petal-blades began to follow him with great speed. The Daiyokai knowingly moved into that area of the Kuchiki Manor which was full of congested streets with tall and massive buildings. Byakuya tried to pursue him but eventually lost track and suddenly some of the tall and massive buildings around him got burst from the middle and began to fall down on him. The Shinigami immediately summoned a sufficient amount of his petal-blades in order to shatter those buildings into pieces and also directed two torrents of them towards Sesshomaru who was high in the air. The Daiyokai dodged those petal-blades and rushed towards Byakuya with immense momentum who was still busy with the fallen buildings. An immensely powerful sword swing from Sesshomaru, consisting of the power of his superior demonic energy crushed those gigantic pieces of the building, burying the Shinigami in the rubble after pushing aside the petal-blades.

He landed on the ground at some distance away from the rubble but didn't notice the petal-blades which were slowly spinning around him. "You dared to harm the old and prestigious buildings of my clan, moreover you tried to crush me beneath their rubble, so now prepare yourself to get crushed as well," Byakuya said while coming out the rubble in injured state and getting up on his feet. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes upon after listening to his words and immediately began to observe his surroundings for any sort of possible danger. "Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya muttered while unleashing one of the special techniques of his Bankai. Now before the Daiyokai could have done anything, all the petal-blades of Senbonzakura created the perfect spherical formation of innumerable blade fragments, which started to swirl around him like a cloud and also this form increased the number of tiny blades to an immense level.

Meanwhile, Yoruichi arrived there as well and she was quite shocked as well as worried upon witnessing that Byakuya was going to execute Gokei technique on Sesshomaru which could be extremely fatal for even someone like him. She immediately looked towards Byakuya but when she noticed his wrecked state, she realized that it would be impossible to convince him through mere words. As it seemed that Sesshomaru had not only destroyed his clan's ancient buildings but also inflicted significant amount injuries on him as the Shinigami was bleeding from his head while his body was full of bruises with his Shihakusho in terrible state. "Oh! No, even if I try to attack this formation then it will not only make the situation worse but Sesshomaru might get hurt as well since he is inside of it," Yoruichi mumbled to herself while watching everything helplessly.

While she was still trying to devise a way to protect Sesshomaru, the petal-blades of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi moved towards him from every possible angle, leaving no blind spots and no possibility of escape. However, the moment those petal-blades collapsed in on him both Byakuya and Yoruichi heard a loud demonic roar which came from inside the spherical structure of Gokei technique. A devastating explosion occurred and it shook the entire area by the generation of a loud sound along with strong shockwaves due to which even Byakuya and Yoruichi had to retreat to a sophisticated distance away from there.

Yoruichi was almost terrified after hearing Sesshomaru's roar and the powerful explosion caused by Gokei while Byakuya, on the other hand, was suspicious of the outcome. As unlike a perfect Gokei technique the blast consisted of a lot of release of his opponent's spirit energy while the force of the blast blew most of Senbonzakura petal-blades away from where Sesshomaru would be standing.

Soon enough the chaos caused by the explosion vanished and a strange glimpse of Sesshomaru shocked both of them. Though he quickly turned to normal yet both of them managed to witness a few seconds of his form in which his eyes were slightly bigger and red in color while his jaw seemed a bit monstrous. The next moment, he became fully normal but he wasn't looking too well since he was quite heavily injured, almost as much injured as Byakuya if not more.

"Oh damn, he seemed to be in a really bad shape but what was that, his true form or something?" Yoruichi murmured in a low voice upon seeing Sesshomaru.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	29. Chapter 29

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 29: When Sesshomaru Met Byakuya III**

* * *

Soon enough the chaos caused by the explosion vanished and a strange glimpse of Sesshomaru shocked both of them. Though he quickly turned to normal yet both of them managed to witness a few seconds of his form in which his eyes were slightly bigger and red in color while his jaw seemed a bit monstrous. The next moment, he became fully normal but he wasn't looking too well since he was quite heavily injured, almost as much injured as Byakuya if not more.

"Oh damn, he seemed to be in a really bad shape but what was that, his true form or something?" Yoruichi murmured in a low voice upon seeing Sesshomaru.

"I didn't expect you to display such a powerful technique by those petal-blades but it is not enough to defeat me," the Daiyokai said in a serious tone. "You managed to force the petal-blades of my Bankai away from you during the last moment of the Gokei technique. I didn't know you can do something like that with the sheer spiritual pressure," Byakuya responded to him.

"You two have to stop this meaningless battle right now. Just take a look around, the Hollows are destroying everything in the Soul Society," Yoruichi shouted at both of them. "I am not obliged to save the Soul Society," Sesshomaru replied to her. "This demon is a threat to the Soul Society and I won't stop until I vanquish him," Byakuya replied to her as well. "Go ahead, Soul Reaper, show me everything you have got," Sesshomaru spoke while tightening his grip on the Tensaiga. "Sesshomaru, you should feel honored to know that you are the first being against whom I am about to use this technique. Prepare yourself and behold! Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," He muttered while staring at the Daiyokai.

Now Byakuya's Bankai started to arrive into its true form where the scattered petals unified into complete glowing swords, numbering in the thousands, which form four rows. These rows were floating just above each other, circling around Byakuya and Sesshomaru in a continuously moving, column-like array. Sesshomaru was carefully analyzing each and every corner of that structure through his sight, upon noticing which, Byakuya said, "You will not understand anything just by staring at the structure of my Senkei, let's resume the battle." "Very well," he responded and attacked with his poison claw technique which the Shinigami dodged easily by jumping high in the air but the next moment he was attacked by the energy whip. Byakuya somehow managed to dodge even that and then he rushed towards Sesshomaru with a fierce speed holding two swords in his hands, one in each. Sesshomaru's energy whip and both swords of Byakuya clashed many times before the later reached close to the former. Afterward, he swung both the swords at Sesshomaru while using the generated momentum due to which the Daiyokai got pushed back to a significant distance away.

Without giving Sesshomaru enough time to prepare, Byakuya immediately directed eight swords towards him from different directions while he rushed towards him as well. Sesshomaru immediately stabbed his Tensaiga into the ground and released a significant amount of his demonic energy which destroyed the ground and made some of the rocks bounced upwards. The rocks blocked the swords while the next moment, Sesshomaru used his demonic speed in order to gain sufficient momentum to counter Byakuya. Their sword clash generated strong shockwave and both of them ended up getting injured though Byakuya had received a greater injury than Sesshomaru. However, none of them stopped at this point and once again they clashed their swords with a great force. While both of them were engaged in the weapon deadlock, suddenly a few swords separated from the rows and rushed towards Sesshomaru which he dodged by pushing Byakuya away from him at the last moment.

Now the battle slowly seemed to be shifting towards the decisive phase as both the warriors were releasing a significant amount of their spiritual pressure while attacking and hence were continuously inflicting injuries on each other. Both of them stabbed their sword straight into each other's torso, right below the shoulder, continuously trying to push the blade further in. However, Byakuya soon fired a Sokatsui and such a close-ranged blast separated both of them with some more injuries. They slowly got up while staring at each other and both of them were equally ready to continue fighting to the very end. Though both of them were almost equally injured yet Sesshomaru seemed to be in a better condition being a Daiyokai. His demonic spiritual pressure was continuously healing his injuries, on the other hand, Byakuya knew that he won't be able to continue much longer and thus he was thinking about using Shukei Hakuteikan.

Suddenly Byakuya sensed something and his eyes got widened with the shock. After a few moments, he tilted his face down while his Zanpakuto got slipped from his hand and stuck in the ground. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was surprised to see the expressions of sadness and disappointment on Byakuya's face all of a sudden but before he could have done anything, the entire structure of Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi fell apart in the form of several petal-blades. After the structure disappeared, Yoruichi slowly walked towards them. Sesshomaru was still unable to figure out the reason behind Byakuya's actions and he looked towards Yoruichi for the answer but he noticed only sadness in her eyes as well.

"No, this can't happen, I can't fail to keep my promise to Hisane," Byakuya mumbled with immense sadness in a low voice while petal-blades were floating freely all over the area. "I felt it as well Byakuya, Rukia's spiritual pressure is gone. That's why I told you that we are not your true enemies, we should have fought together against the Hollows," Yoruichi said to him in a consoling manner. "Only if I wouldn't be obliged by my duty as a Captain in the Gotei 13," he replied her in a serious tone.

"Don't let this loss weaken you Byakuya, the Soul Society still needs you," Kisuke Urahara's voice echoed as he was coming from the Kuchiki Family Manor. "Kisuke, you are here too?" Yoruichi asked him. "Yes, I was doing some research on the past records and decided to come out when I felt that she is gone," he replied to her. "This is not as straight and simple as you think, Kisuke Urahara. This is not just a loss of a family member but a failure to keep a promise, and a stain on my pride," Byakuya replied him.

"We can't change what has happened but we can make sure that it doesn't repeat and for that, all of us need to combine our strength and save the remaining Shinigamis from this calamity," Yoruichi says while addressing all. "We will need your help as well, Sesshomaru," Urahara said to him. "Where are you going Byakuya, please listen to us," Yoruichi spoke as he turned around in order to walk away.

"You two are here, I must go now in order to find Jaken and gather all the Yokais so that we can return to our world," Sesshomaru said to both Urahara and Yoruichi. "Wait Sesshomaru, I have something to tell you before you roam around in the Soul Society," Urahara said in a serious tone. "Hmm… what is it?" He asked. "As long as you are in our time, Head Captain will not stop seeking you no matter where you go, here in the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo or World of the Living and it is because such is the order of the Soul King, our creator," Urahara answered him and his words gained the attention of even Byakuya.

"What are you saying, Kisuke!" Yoruichi responded shockingly. "That's the truth Yoruichi-san, I have studied some of the related ancient records carefully. Soul King had forbidden any sort of contact with the demons at the moment Head Captain established the Soul Society and this law was not just for the Shinigamis but for the Hollows as well," he replied her.

"Hmm… but why Head Captain wants to kill Sesshomaru even though he didn't even know about the Soul Society and the Soul Reapers in the first place?" Yoruichi muttered confusingly. "Then what is he even doing here?" Byakuya asked her. "He was only looking for his sword which some Hollows stole from him, that's what I was trying to tell you since the beginning," Yoruichi replied to him.

"Hmm such a disgrace, Rukia lost her life because I was busy battling against a wrong person," Byakuya mumbled in a sad tone before leaving towards the area of Squad 13 in order to see Rukia one last time. Sesshomaru, Urahara, and Yoruichi heard him saying this and then they decided to split and eliminate the Hollows from the Soul Society before retreating back to the World of the Living.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	30. Chapter 30

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 30: Isshin's Sacrifice**

* * *

"Then what is he even doing here?" Byakuya asked her. "He was only looking for his sword which some Hollows stole from him, that's what I was trying to tell you since the beginning," Yoruichi replied to him.

"Hmm such a disgrace, Rukia lost her life because I was busy battling against a wrong person," Byakuya mumbled in a sad tone before departing for the area of Squad 13 in order to see Rukia one last time. Sesshomaru, Urahara, and Yoruichi heard him saying this and then they decided to split and eliminate the Hollows from the Soul Society before retreating back to the World of the Living.

* * *

**Somewhere in the region of Squad 5…**

Hollows were gathered all-around a place and surprisingly there was absolutely nothing over there except plain ground. Some of them were trying to dig up the ground with their large and powerful claws while others were randomly shooting their Ceros and in a comparatively short period of time they have actually created a huge trench with their combined efforts.

When Isshin witnessed the scenario upon reaching there, he couldn't understand the intentions of the Hollows and thus he simply started to attack them with the anticipation that whatever they were trying to do would somehow prove to be detrimental for the Soul Society. Since the Hollows of different calibers were present in large numbers, he immediately released his Shikai in order to wipe them out as soon as possible. As a result, he gained the attention of all the Hollows but he was surprised to notice that still a lot of them seemed to be more concerned in damaging the ground than attacking him.

He was clearly struggling against the Hollows with so many of them holding his Zanpakuto, arms, and legs in their huge jaws while he was still continuously freeing himself, cutting them down in the process simultaneously. Isshin employed a strategy of dodging the attacks of powerful Hollows and defeating the basic Hollows first in order to reduce their numbers which would lower down the risk for him up to some extent. However, this strategy didn't prove to be effective since the Hollows were still able to overpower him due to their numbers. He was continuously getting hurt despite his best efforts. On the other hand, as the trench deepened further, he began to feel a bizarre sensation from it which made him terribly uncomfortable.

Isshin realized that at this rate he was going to get failed miserably and thus he somehow rushed towards the center, right above the trench, in order to make the maximum number of Hollows fall into his range which also put him at a much greater risk. Being in the center of the Hollows, every Cero which he was dodging, it was taking out at least one Hollow right behind him. In between he was also using destructive Kido techniques such as Sokatsui and Raikoho while shooting powerful energy waves from his Zanpakuto.

In this one versus all battle, Isshin put up a commendable fight however the critical injuries and excessive loss of blood had slowed him down to a significant extent and thus he decided to move towards his final resort i.e. the Bankai. "Ahh..if you think this is over then you are wrong because the real show is just going to begin, BANKAI!" Isshin spoke as he released his Bankai while he was surrounded by the Hollows in all directions. Suddenly all the Hollows attacked him with their respective powerful Cero beams in the middle of his Bankai release.

The moment, all those Cero beams clashed with the enormous energy release from Isshin's Bankai, the entire area got filled with the blinding white light that generated due to a massive explosion. Most of the surrounding Hollows ran away upon getting scared by the powerful shockwaves released from that clash while those who dared to take control of the situation ended up dead upon getting caught in the blast. In a terribly short period of time, the explosion not only leveled a huge area of Squad 5 but also killed surprisingly large number of Hollows. It was powerful enough to be noticed by each and every being present in the entire Soul Society but it left a lot of people in a huge depressing shock because now nobody was able to feel Isshin's spiritual pressure anymore.

* * *

**Other Portions of the Soul Society…**

The situation in the area of Squad 13 started to get back on the track because Byakuya had reached there and he was ruthlessly killing each and every Hollow in his sight since he was affected by Rukia's death. Yoruichi and Soi Fon together had almost cleared the entire area of Squad 2 by now but the former had to leave in order to check on Isshin. After annihilating a significant number of Hollows in Squad 12, Kurotsuchi headed towards Sesshomaru as per the recently issued order from Genryusai Yamamoto. Squad 3 was also successfully controlled by Kira because his Captain Gin Ichimaru had returned from Hueco Mundo and he had started to exterminate the Hollows before the situation could have gotten worse. Besides, not much of the Hollows had left in the Squad 5 to cause any serious disturbance after Isshin's incident and thus Momo Hinamori wasn't facing tough times.

After wiping out almost all the Hollows in the area of Squad 1, Head Captain Genryusai Yamamoto himself came to the rescue of Squad 4. The situation in Squad 9 was still bad because it had faced the most damage amongst all the Squads. However, soldiers of other Squads had started to help them while its Captain Kaname Tosen was heading towards Sesshomaru upon getting the signal from Kurotsuchi. In Byakuya's absence, Renji was somehow taking care of the area of Squad 6 even though he was heavily affected by Rukia's death. Meanwhile, Squad 11 was pretty much at rest since they had already killed almost all the Hollows which invaded their area.

On the other hand, Sajin Komamura had left to pursue Sesshomaru after leaving everything in Tetsuzaemon Iba's hands upon receiving a secret message from Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Meanwhile, Kyoraku and Ukitake had successfully defended the grounds of Squad 8 and now they decided to track Genryusai Yamamoto so that they can interfere in the recently issued order regarding Sesshomaru. The soldiers of Squad 10 and the Lieutenant Rangiku were suffering a terrible loss of morale due to the news of the loss of their Captain while the other squads had also refrained from providing them with any kind of support in this emergency situation. However, Sesshomaru reached there and destroyed almost all the Hollows present in that area which had put Lieutenant Rangiku and soldiers of that Squad in an awe of his power.

* * *

**Halibel's hideout, Hueco Mundo…**

It's been several hours since Halibel had safely reached her hideout but from her body language, it was clear that she wasn't relaxed at all. On the other hand, Mila Rose and Sung-Sun were observing her as well and they weren't only eager to ask her about what exactly was bothering her but also they were curious to know that why she returned to that underground structure even after she took both of them out. "Something has happened which Halibel-Sama is not telling us," Mila-Rose said to Sung-Sun worryingly. "Yes Mila Rose, Halibel-Sama is not someone who gets worried about small issues," Sung-Sun replied her, "I am afraid if all this is connected to the fact that she went back to that underground structure even after taking us out," she added. "I think the same and I want to talk to her about it but I don't want to upset her when she is already looking disturbed," Mila Rose muttered to Sung-Sun in a slightly sad tone.

"What is it you two want to know?" Halibel asked to both of them after listening to their talks. "N..Nothing Halibel-Sama, it was nothing," Mila Rose responded with great hesitation. "Amm..we were just wondering if you are tired, that's it," Sung-Sun replied as well. "After saving you two, I went back inside that underground structure in order to save someone… someone I owe a lot," Halibel spoke as she finally decided to tell everything to her comrades. "Ohh..who is he, Halibel-Sama? Oops..sorry, I mean, who is she?" Sung-Sun asked with great wonderment. "Shut up, Sung-Sun, as if Halibel-Sama would ever owe a fucking male," Mila Rose shouted at her.

"She had asked the right question Mila Rose, since he was a male and lately I am wondering if he is going to be alright because he wasn't in a good condition when I saw him the last time," Halibel told both of them in a serious tone after listening to which they were utterly speechless. "Is this really the truth?" Mila Rose mumbled shockingly. "Now I really want to know about him," she responded curiously.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	31. Chapter 31

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 31: The Life Saver**

* * *

"Ohh..who is he, Halibel-Sama? Oops..sorry, I mean, who is she?" Sung-Sun asked with great wonderment. "Shut up, Sung-Sun, as if Halibel-Sama would ever owe a fucking male," Mila Rose shouted at her.

"She had asked the right question Mila Rose, since he was a male and lately I am wondering if he is going to be alright because he wasn't in a good condition when I saw him the last time," Halibel told both of them in a serious tone after listening to which they were utterly speechless. "Is this really the truth?" Mila Rose mumbled shockingly. "Now I really want to know about him," she responded curiously.

"After those Arrancars abducted you two, I was trying to pursue them and on my way, I met him. He was…" Halibel began to tell them about him but before she could have continued Mila Rose interrupted her. "He must be a very powerful Hollow, almost as powerful as you Halibel-Sama if he managed to make it to the Negal Ruins along with you," Mila Rose said abruptly. "Yes, he is very powerful far more powerful than I anticipated but he is not one of us," Halibel replied calmly upon noticing Mila Rose's increased curiosity. "What? Does that mean a Shinigami helped you?" She once again asked curiously. "No, he is neither a Shinigami nor…" Halibel answered but was once again interrupted and this time by Sung-Sun. "Then he must be a Quincy because humans can't have such power," She muttered. Halibel sighed upon noticing that they weren't even listening to her properly due to their desperation and then she said, "He was actually a Demon, now don't ask anything else about his race just know that Demons do exist."

"Alright Halibel-Sama, no more questions about his race but what he was doing here in the Hueco Mundo?" Mila Rose asked. "He was actually looking for me," she replied. Oh my, but amm… Halibel-Sama why was he looking for you?" Mila Rose asked hesitatingly with even greater curiosity. "Actually, those Arrancars tricked him to believe that I am involved in the stealing of his sword but after our paths crossed a few times, everything got clear and he decided to accompany me since our destination was the same," Halibel answered her. "And what about those bastard Arrancars, Halibel-Sama? I wish to give them a horrible death for how they treated us and especially you," Mila Rose asked another question and there was some anger in her tone. "That won't be possible Mila Rose because he killed them in order to save me," She answered in a rather serious tone upon remembering that incident. "Save you? That means those bastards tried to hurt you again?" Mila Rose asked with concern. "They tried to do something worse but he arrived there in time and I think he gave them the just reward, beheaded, melted some of them down to fluid and ripped apart their bodies," Halibel spoke in a comparatively low voice. "Hmm…" Mila Rose responded with a serious expression upon realizing what they tried to do with Halibel while also the urge within her to give them a violent death seemed to get satisfied after knowing about their end.

"Umm… Halibel-Sama, is he handsome?" Sung-Sun asked after silently listening to their conversation for some time. "What?" Halibel uttered with slight confusion as she couldn't decide what she should answer. "What are you asking Sung-Sun, have you lost your mind?" Mila Rose shouted at her. "Oh forgive me Halibel-Sama, I was silly to think that even Demons can be handsome. He must be like a monster with scary and misshapen face, huge hairy body, ugly teeth and…" Sung-Sun said with innocent expressions but trickery behind the words and was immediately interrupted by Halibel just as she anticipated. "He was nothing like this, Sung-Sun," Halibel replied while interrupting her. "Oh, does she think that he was handsome?" Mila Rose whispered to herself with great amazement. "I am sorry for getting carried away with my imaginations, Halibel-Sama," Sung-Sun said in a soft tone while bowing down to her. "Hmm, I think it is enough discussion for today we should go out now," Halibel spoke to both of her comrades in a serious tone as she walked away while both of them looked towards each other before they began to follow her.

* * *

**After some time in the area of Squad 13…**

Almost all the Hollows within the region had been wiped out by Byakuya and the soldiers of 13th Squad by now except a very few portions. Captain of Squad 13, Jushiro Ukitake wasn't around while the soldiers were simply trying to overcome the damage, helping the injured men, and finding the corpses of dead soldiers.

Rukia's corpse was lying on a stretcher, covered with a white sheet and a pillow was kept beneath her head. Byakuya was on his knees beside the corpse while all the other soldiers were simply gathered all around and they seemed to be extremely saddened with their faces tilted downward. It was a heavy environment full of silence and sorrow and then all of a sudden the soldiers noticed that Renji Abarai was coming from behind. They shifted aside in order to provide him with the space to reach Byakuya. As soon as Renji's sight caught Rukia's lifeless body, tears began to roll down his eyes despite his best efforts to stop them.

"Captain…" Renji mumbled to Byakuya as he stood right next to him. "You came, Renji," he responded in a low voice. "I..I am sorry Captain, I came here without your permission," he said while trying to control his overwhelming emotions. It was almost as if he said it just to distract his own emotions because he wasn't able to say what he actually wanted to. "It's alright that you disobeyed me Renji, after all, it is because of my decision that Rukia is dead. If only I had given you the permission to check on her," Byakuya spoke while closing his eyes out of immense grief. "None of us even imagined that we would lose her like this," Renji responded. Byakuya didn't say anything else and he simply lifted Rukia's lifeless body up in his arms and began to walk towards the area of his Squad while Renji and some soldiers from the 13th Squad began to follow him. "You were the best little sister anyone can have in this world," he mumbled sadly with his sight fixed on her pale face.

On their way to the Kuchiki Family Manor, they noticed that Sesshomaru was standing at some distance away from them. The soldiers of the Squad 13 got intimidated by his presence while Renji also got alert upon confronting him and all of them stopped walking but Byakuya on the other ignored him and continued to walk ahead.

"You were a worthy opponent Byakuya but it was unfortunate that you had to abandon our battle in the middle because of this tragedy," Sesshomaru said to him. "You…" Renji spoke in anger but couldn't say anything as Byakuya signaled him to stop. "Indeed it was most unfortunate, even though the reason behind battling against you was inappropriate yet I admit that you were the toughest opponent I have ever faced," Byakuya replied him, "but only if I would have known your intentions before arriving in the Soul Society from the beginning, we wouldn't have fought and perhaps, Rukia would have been alive now," he added. "It would be disgraceful if the warrior inside of you weakens by the death of a mere girl," Sesshomaru responded. "What did you just say? A MERE GIRL! You got some power so you think can speak whatever the crap you like but you are not a God, you are just one hell of a demon who is good for nothing except to kill, so just shut your mouth otherwise…" Renji shouted at Sesshomaru with immense while holding the collar of his kimono but was eventually interrupted by Byakuya. "Silence Renji and let's go," Byakuya muttered to him in a scolding tone.

The moment they began to leave, Sesshomaru's Tensaiga began to pulsate all of a sudden that made him confused and he started to wonder about the will of his sword which was still inside its sheath. "Wait! Byakuya," Sesshomaru uttered abruptly. The moment he turned around upon listening to the call, the Daiyokai unsheathed his Tensaiga. "Bastard!" Renji hissed and took out Zanpakuto. "Leave it Sesshomaru, it's not the time," Byakuya said in a serious tone. Soon enough everyone's eyes got widened with the shock when Sesshomaru swung his Tensaiga on Rukia.

For a few moments, silence prevailed in the surroundings neither Byakuya nor Renji was able to figure out what just happened while Sesshomaru on the other hand simply put his Tensaiga back into its sheath. The next moment, the silence was broken by a low and weak but a familiar feminine voice, "Nii-Sama…"

* * *

**To be continued…**


	32. Chapter 32

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 32: Victims of Orthodox Schemes**

* * *

"Wait Byakuya," Sesshomaru uttered abruptly. The moment he turned around upon listening to the call, the Daiyokai unsheathed his Tensaiga. "Bastard!" Renji hissed at him while pulling out his Zanpakuto. "Leave it Sesshomaru, it's not the time," Byakuya said in a serious tone. Soon enough everyone's eyes got widened with the shock when Sesshomaru swung his Tensaiga on Rukia.

For a few moments, silence prevailed in the surroundings neither Byakuya nor Renji was able to figure out what just happened while Sesshomaru on the other hand simply put his Tensaiga back into its sheath. The next moment, the silence was broken by a low and weak but a familiar feminine voice, "Nii-Sama…"

Absolutely none including both Byakuya and Renji could have believed in their eyes for some time but soon both of them snapped out of the shock when they heard Rukia's voice the second time as she asked about what happened to her. On the other hand soldiers of Squad 13 who were over there began to gossip about Sesshomaru and what they just saw. "Who is he, some kind of God? / How can he bring dead persons back to life? / Is it some kind of sorcery or black magic? / But according to the reports, he is a demon. / How can he save someone's life being a demon? / perhaps, he got several other powers." After a few moments of gossips, all those Shinigamis started to applaud Sesshomaru. They were shouting out loudly and were referring him as Lord Sesshomaru while thanking and praising him for reviving Rukia Kuchiki. Byakuya and Renji also looked towards him but before they could have said anything, he flew away from there.

"He left but anyways, I will thank him properly the next time I would see him," Byakuya spoke in a comparatively soft tone as he noticed him flying away. On the other hand, Renji couldn't speak openly but in his heart, he decided to apologize to him in person. "Renji, take Rukia in the Squad 4 barracks for the checkup, I am going to see the situation in the area of our squad," Byakuya said to Renji after Rukia stood back on her feet. "I am fine Nii-Sama, don't worry about me, Squad 4 must be busy in taking care of the injured men from the entire Seireitei," Rukia responded to him. "Hmm but don't skip it, have a checkup later on," Byakuya replied and then he began to retreat to his Squad's region. On the other hand, Renji began to follow him while Rukia preferred to stay there and wait for the arrival of her Captain.

* * *

**The white desert, Hueco Mundo…**

Halibel, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun had arrived quite far away from their hideout but they were still within a known safe zone. Like always, Halibel simply sat down in order to keep an eye on both of her comrades while they were trying to hone their fighting skills and gather some food for themselves. Mila Rose had found her prey and she started to pursue it while Sung-Sun on the other hand, was still trying to find a prey that fits her taste. Unfortunately, the Hollow whom Mila Rose was trying to hunt proved to be faster than she anticipated as he ran away from there while she decided to give him a chase. Within no time, she was out of the range of Halibel's sight while Sung-Sun got busy with her prey as she had finally found one that was matching her demands.

When Mila Rose didn't return for some time, Halibel began to doubt and immediately asked Sung-Sun to go and check on her. "She sure troubles Halibel-Sama a lot," Sung-Sun mumbled as she had to let her prey go and leave in order to check on her. However, even she didn't return for some time after which Halibel's doubt about some kind of danger gotten stronger and she immediately rushed in the same direction in which her comrades went.

Upon arriving at that spot she witnessed that both of them were lying unconscious on the ground. "Sung-Sun… Mila Rose…" she spoke loudly and began to approach them quickly. Suddenly her path got blocked by an explosion caused by a ball of fire and electric energy. When she walked out of the dust and smoke in which she got engulfed due to the blast, she noticed that it was the doing of none other but Yin and Yang. "Did you hurt them?" Halibel asked them about her comrades in a furious tone but they didn't reply to her.

"It's good to see you again, little sister," a familiar masculine voice came from behind and just as Halibel turned around she noticed that Orkos was standing there. He purposely suppressed his spiritual pressure perhaps because he didn't want to scare her but his very presence was more than alarming for her. "What do you want now? Why are you here?" She asked in a somewhat strict manner. "Forgive me little sister but I totally forgot about the gift I meant to give you and both of your comrades before bidding you goodbye from my place," Orkos replied to her in his usual polite tone. "What are you talking about?" Halibel asked him with slight frustration.

Now Orkos plucked out one of the golden gemstones inscribed on his body and hold it between his index finger and thumb, right in front of his eye as if he was trying to look Halibel through it. The next moment, she began to feel as if her strength was being sucked out of her body and within no time she fell down on her knees. "I believe that Demon is no longer needed in your life and hence I am simply making sure that you understand this fact nicely my little sister, after all, it is for your own good," Orkos uttered in a cunning manner and continued the process until Halibel fell unconscious just like both of her comrades. "Yang, Yin, take them to their hideout," Orkos ordered both of them before getting disappeared into the thin air.

* * *

**Back in the Soul Society…**

Sesshomaru was swiftly moving towards Jaken in order to confirm that he had gathered all the Yokais for their departure from the Soul Society. On his way, he noticed that some Shinigami soldiers were keeping an eye on him. However, he didn't care about them and continued to fly straight to the location from where he was sensing Jaken's spiritual pressure.

"There he is!" A Shinigami soldier who was leading a troop shouted the moment he saw Sesshomaru. Suddenly a burning net of metallic wires was thrown upon him but he easily ripped it apart and then he landed on the ground in order to know who dared to do that to him. The next moment, that Shinigami rushed towards Sesshomaru with the entire troop. The Daiyokai kicked him on the chest, shoving him back along with a few others who were behind him. "Who ordered you to attack me?" Sesshomaru asked them with a cold stare from his golden eyes. "So, here you are vile demon." Chojiro Sasakibe spoke while coming from behind. "What business have you got with me?" Sesshomaru asked in a slightly strict tone. "My Captain has issued your death warrant, this is more than enough of a reason for anyone to attack you," the lieutenant answered confidently while slowly drawing his Zanpakuto. Sesshomaru didn't say anything but fiercely rushed towards him.

Shinigami soldiers immediately stood in front of the Lieutenant in order to protect him but were scattered in the blink of an eye by the powerful and lightning-fast strikes from the energy whip. After injuring and pushing aside all the Shinigami soldiers, Sesshomaru reached close to Chojiro and began to choke his throat with the tight grip of his hand. "I would like to talk about this warrant directly with your Captain, so tell me where he is?" Sesshomaru asked him in a serious manner. "I..I won't tell you besides… I am not your true opponent demon, so you better leave me alone and run for your life," he replied while struggling to free himself from Sesshomaru's grip. Now before the Daiyokai could have done anything to him an extremely strict and masculine voice had his attention, "I am here, Demon," Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto spoke as he appeared behind at some distance away from him.

Sesshomaru left Chojiro's throat and turned around in order to face the Head Captain. As soon as Chojiro got freed from his grasp, he released his Shikai and hit a nearby building with his Zanpakuto, causing to crumble down on Sesshomaru, burying him utterly in the rubble. "Chojiro, you may leave, I will take over from here," Yamamoto spoke to his Lieutenant. "Very well, Captain," he replied and left silently after putting his Zanpakuto back in its sheath.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	33. Chapter 33

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 33: Sesshomaru VS Genryusai Yamamoto**

* * *

Now before the Daiyokai could have done anything to him an extremely strict and masculine voice had his attention, "I am here, Demon," Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto spoke as he appeared behind at some distance away from him.

Sesshomaru left Chojiro's throat and turned around in order to face the Head Captain. As soon as Chojiro got freed from his grasp, he released his Shikai and hit a nearby building with his Zanpakuto, causing it to crumble down on Sesshomaru, burying him utterly in the rubble. "Chojiro, you may leave, I will take over from here," Yamamoto spoke to his Lieutenant. "Very well, Captain," he replied and left silently after putting his Zanpakuto back in its sheath.

Now the old Shinigami pointed the palm of his hand towards the rubble and spoke, "Hado 63, Raikoho!" Suddenly, a massive concentration of energy got fired from his stretched out hand and hit the rubble like that of a lightning strike. However, Sesshomaru managed to escape the rubble before it got blasted and approached Genryusai using his Demonic speed. To his surprise, the Head Captain seemed to be disappeared from his position all of a sudden and before the Daiyokai could have done anything, a mighty sword swing from behind inflicted a cut at the right side of his shoulder.

Genryusai once again pointed the palm of his hand towards Sesshomaru in order to attack him with Hado 73, Soren Sokatsui but before its commencement, a powerful spinning fist from the Daiyokai shoved him into the wall of the nearby barrack. Now Sesshomaru unsheathed his Tensaiga while his body got engulfed into the immense release of demonic energy. The next moment, he rushed towards Genryusai Yamamoto while the later hold his Zanpakuto firmly in a horizontal manner in order to block the upcoming strike. Even though the Head Captain managed to stop Tensaiga's blade from reaching his body yet he couldn't save himself from the impact of the hit backed by Sesshomaru's demonic energy. As a result, he started to get dragged backward during the weapon deadlock while getting shoved into the multiple barracks on the way.

"All things in the universe turn to ashes, Ryujin Jakka!" Genryusai uttered while getting dragged backward as he released his Shikai. Now the powerful release of old Shinigami's fiery spirit energy clashed with the demonic energy of Sesshomaru which pushed both the warriors away from each other with the eruption of shockwaves powerful enough to utterly explode some nearby buildings.

"You are Head Captain of the Soul Society, aren't you? I will make sure you regret your choice of battling against me," Sesshomaru spoke in a serious tone while standing at a sophisticated distance away from the old Shinigami. "And I assure you that it would be the last battle of your life," Genryusai replied while slowly walking towards him, surrounded by the flames of his Shikai.

Now both of them rushed towards each other with fierce speed and clashed their blades with immense momentum. As a result, Genryusai received a minor injury at the side of his belly while Sesshomaru got shoved into the nearby barrack. "It will take more than this to overcome me, demon," old Shinigami murmured while shooting a surge of fire towards that building by swinging his Zanpakuto. However, before that surge of fire could have completely destroyed the barrack, Sesshomaru got rid of both the fire as well as the barrack by destroying the entire building with an immensely powerful slash of Tensaiga.

"I must finish this battle before this Shinigami becomes a trouble," Sesshomaru thought in his mind while staring at the Genryusai Yamamoto. Now the old Shinigami charged his spiritual pressure and rushed towards him while the Daiyokai tried to stop him using his energy whip but failed. Genryusai's powerful and fiery sword swing pushed Sesshomaru back even though he tried to block it by using his Tensaiga. The Head Captain didn't stop here and tried to repeat the same attack but this time Sesshomaru summoned a fair amount of his demonic energy and directed it towards him with a sword swing in the form of a highly destructive blast.

Since Sesshomaru was pushing himself for a long time, the recent heart injury started to slow him down. He was clearly able to feel fatigue and lowering of his demonic energy yet he didn't allow it to appear through his face or the body language. Meanwhile, he had lost track of Genryusai because of the blast caused by his previous technique and while he was still trying to sense him, suddenly a powerful fiery wave from Ryujin Jakka hit him from the left side and shoved him away. "Prepare yourself to meet your end," the old Shinigami spoke while furthering raising his spiritual pressure in order to deliver the final blow as Sesshomaru was getting up on his feet.

The moment Genryusai swung his sword with immense might and fiery power, Sesshomaru used his Poison Claw and grabbed Ryujin Jakka's blade with his bare hand while swinging his Tensaiga on him from the other one. Genryusai easily dodged that attack by forcibly pulling his Zanpakuto away from Sesshomaru's hand and taking a few steps back.

"My venom couldn't damage his Zanpakuto's blade," Sesshomaru mumbled to himself while wondering about the reason behind this. "How can he grab the burning blade of Ryujin Jakka like that?" Genryusai whispered to himself with a surprise. Upon noticing the lack of attention by the old Shinigami, Sesshomaru immediately rushed towards him with his superior demonic speed. Genryusai swung his blade in order to distract him with a surge of fire but the Daiyokai changed its direction with the help of his energy whip by seizing Genryusai's right arm. Now before Head Captain could have come up with any strategy, he felt Tensaiga's blade piercing through his flesh as Sesshomaru was stabbing him in the left portion of his belly. The Daiyokai pushed the blade further inside Yamamoto's torso while staring at him with his cold golden eyes as the old Shinigami vomited some blood from his mouth. However, Sesshomaru didn't notice Genryusai's hand which he just put on his armor right in the middle. The next moment, Head Captain uttered, "Hado 88, Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho." Genryusai muttered while firing a gigantic beam of electrical and spiritual energy from the palm of his hand, blowing the Daiyokai far away from there followed by an enormous explosion in the end.

That powerful beam had brought great devastation in its path, leaving the traces of dust and smoke clouds with burning rubble on its track. The destruction was too great that it caught everyone's attention in the Soul Society and thus several Shinigamis including Urahara and Yoruichi began to rush towards the site of the battle. Meanwhile, Genryusai got up on his feet, pulled the Tensaiga out of his torso and threw it away.

On the other hand, Sajin Komamura, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and Kaname Tosen had reached where Sesshomaru was lying motionlessly in the burning rubble of the broken buildings. "Looks like Head Captain has taken care of this demon already," Komamura muttered to the other two Shinigami Captains. "I wouldn't have reached the conclusion so soon if I were you," Mayuri Kurotsuchi responded to him while keenly observing Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure. "Hmm, are you referring to his fluctuating spiritual pressure?" Tosen asked him. "Of course, we shouldn't forget that he is a demon after all," Mayuri answered. "In that case, the battle is still on, we shouldn't interfere in the fight of our Head Captain," Komamura said to both of them. "Don't worry about it, Head Captain himself told me that no protocol or formality is more important than exterminating the Demons," Mayuri replied and the next moment a gigantic black structure encased the entire site of burning rubble while both Komamura and Tosen were shocked to witness it. "Do not be surprised, I only wish to make sure that he is dead," Mayuri Kurotsuchi said to both of them as he had used Hado 90, Kurohitsugi. "Hmm… but it seems that there's still some fight has left in him," Komamura muttered upon sensing Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure. "Then allow me to deepen his eternal slumber, Bankai, Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Korogi," Tosen uttered as he released his Bankai that engulfed the entire Kurohitsugi structure upon taking the form of a black colored dome of the void.

"If he somehow escaped the Bankai of Tosen than we will stop him using ours," Komamura spoke to Mayuri in a serious tone. "Ha Ha Ha… indeed Captain Komamura but I doubt that if he would be able to even blink let alone breaking free from this pressure," Kurotsuchi replied him in a playful manner. After several minutes when all the three Captains were almost assured of Sesshomaru's death, suddenly Tosen noticed that the gigantic Kurohitsugi structure had started to get cracked with light coming from him inside.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	34. Chapter 34

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 34: Bonds against Inferno**

* * *

"Then allow me to deepen his eternal slumber, Bankai, Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Korogi," Tosen uttered as he released his Bankai that engulfed the entire Kurohitsugi structure upon taking the form of a black colored dome of the void.

"If he somehow escaped the Bankai of Tosen than we will stop him using ours," Komamura spoke to Mayuri in a serious tone. "Ha Ha Ha… indeed Captain Komamura but I doubt that if he would be able to even blink let alone breaking free from this pressure," Kurotsuchi replied him in a playful manner. After several minutes, when all the three Captains were almost assured of Sesshomaru's death, suddenly Tosen noticed that the gigantic Kurohitsugi structure had started to get cracked with light coming from inside.

"That's impossible! How can he still possess this much strength?" Tosen mumbled shockingly upon sensing the skyrocketing spiritual pressure as the Kurohitsugi structure had started to crumble down while his Bankai structure was shaking heavily. Soon enough an immense explosion of overwhelming demonic energy destroyed the entire Kurohitsugi structure as well as the dome of Tosen's Bankai while he got blown far away from there and fell unconscious.

The next moment, Sesshomaru appeared in the form of a gigantic silvery-white dog while Genryusai Yamamoto had arrived there as well. "Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo!" Kurotsuchi uttered while staring at Sesshomaru. "Bankai! Kokujo Tengen Myo-oh!" Komamura spoke loudly. Both the Captains couldn't help but abruptly unleashed their respective Bankais upon sensing the overwhelming power of Sesshomaru while Genryusai Yamamoto was once again prepared with his Shikai to deal with him.

On the other hand, Urahara and Yoruichi were also shocked to witness the giant and fearsome form of Sesshomaru from a far distance and decided to reach there as soon as possible upon noticing that Komamura's and Kurotsuchi's giant Bankai creatures were about to clash with Sesshomaru.

Suddenly a terrifying and powerful explosion occurred when the gigantic Dog Demon clashed with Komamura's and Kurotsuchi's giant Bankai creatures. That explosion not only shook the entire Soul Society with the tremors but also generated powerful shockwaves and bolts of spirit energy while the entire place got filled with smoke and dust clouds. Soon enough it got cleared that both the Bankai creatures were defeated and disappeared following the explosion while Captain Komamura was lying unconsciousness on the ground. Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, on the other hand, managed to escape from there after the destruction of his Bankai.

Now only two of them had left standing over there for the final showdown i.e. Sesshomaru and Genryusai. The giant Daiyokai was quite injured and his body was releasing unusual bolts of Demonic energy which wasn't a good symptom. On the other hand, Genryusai was all set to destroy Sesshomaru with his Shikai, the wound at the right side of his belly had also stopped bleeding. At first, Sesshomaru barked at the old Shinigami and then both of them rushed towards each other. Sesshomaru tried to crush him under his huge claw while Genryusai dodged it, jumped in the air and inflicted a vertical cut on his left shoulder but the produced flames got extinguished by the release of demonic energy from Dog Demon's body. Without wasting any moment, Head Captain once again swung his Zanpakuto on him but this time Sesshomaru blocked it with his huge nails and now old Shinigami began to have a hard time in pushing his claw away.

Suddenly the ground beneath Genryusai began to crack due to the force by which Sesshomaru was pressing him from the top. Soon enough the ground ruptured and the Head Captain fell down in the sewers while Sesshomaru also got misbalanced due to damaged base. "Taimatsu," Genryusai Yamamoto's voice echoed as he swung his sword while falling down, setting the ground above him on fire. Sesshomaru had already weakened to a significant extent and after getting caught in the flames he couldn't maintain his demon form and eventually reverted back into his human form.

A comparatively large area got destroyed in their battle with several buildings and barracks crumbled to the rubble. The ground was severely damaged while the surrounding area was filled with flames and miasma while at some places weren't even visible due to excessive dust and smoke. Sesshomaru's wound on his chest seemed to be slightly open and he was struggling in getting back to his feet while Genryusai had already returned from the underground and now he was slowly walking towards the Daiyokai in order to finish him off. "It seems I have to unleash an even more destructive technique of my Shikai in order to finish you off," the old Shinigami uttered in a serious tone.

"Ennetsu Jigoku," Genryusai spoke as he stabbed the ground with his Zanpakuto and the next moment a spark of liquid fire branches off in intricate circle pattern formations and created seven immense pillars of flame, which surround the area. The scorching heat by those flames scattered Sesshomaru's miasma in no time but before the old Shinigami could have done anything else, Urahara arrived there and stood right in front of Sesshomaru with his Shikai unleashed, he requested, "Please, stop Head Captain!"

"Step aside, Kisuke Urahara… or prepare yourself to share the same fate as this demon," Genryusai said to Urahara as he raised his spiritual pressure to a dangerous level and summoned immense flames around his blade in order to direct them on Sesshomaru. "I am afraid I can't, Blood Mist Shield!" Urahara replied and the next moment he used a shield technique of his Shikai. "Do you think this shield will last in front of Ryujin Jakka's flames?" Genryusai spoke while unhesitatingly shooting the flames towards him in the form of a violent surge.

Suddenly a wave of spirit energy combined with electric energy collided with that surge of fire and slowed it down to a significant extent while another wave of tiny petal-blades reduced its power even further and ultimately Urahara's Blood Mist Shield managed to block it.

"Kuchiki-san, Yoruichi-san!" Urahara spoke with slight amazement while Sesshomaru also turned his attention towards them with a surprised look on his face. Genryusai, on the other hand, stared at them in a serious manner as his Ennetsu Jigoku technique was slowly taking a deadly form.

"Don't forget that you two are currently nothing more than the infiltrators in the Soul Society and you will join their position if you didn't stop here, Captain of Squad 6, Byakuya Kuchiki," Genryusai said to all the three of them in a strict tone.

"I have no plans of going against the Soul Society but I can't stand or partake in the acts influenced by grave misjudgments, especially when the Gotei 13 intends to execute someone unreasonably who has been a great help to the Seireitei, and I hope both Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin are here only to ensure the same thing," Byakuya said to Head Captain. "If all of you are here to block my path then I have no choice but…" Genryusai spoke to all the three of them but he was interrupted before he could have completed his statement.

"Can we also join the discussion, Yamaji?" Kyoraku said as he arrived there along with Ukitake. "Forgive us for interrupting you like this, Master Genryusai," Ukitake spoke to Genryusai as well.

"What are you two doing here?" Genryusai asked them. "Yamaji, we think that there is no reason for us to battle against Sesshomaru," Kyoraku said to him. "He didn't come here to harm the Soul Society in the first place; in fact, he helped us in exterminating those Hollows," Ukitake said while backing Kyoraku. "None of you understands that he is the harbinger of doom for the entire Soul Society," Genryusai said to all of them in a slightly irritated manner.

"It's not like we don't know anything, Head Captain. I have done my homework after infiltrating in the Department of Research & Development and Kuchiki Family Manor," Urahara replied to him with a smile. "We have also studied all ancient documents about Yokais and yet we believe that we shouldn't kill him," Ukitake said from his as well as from Kyoraku's side. "There is so much more which is not on records, the Hollows attacked the Soul Society only when this demon visited the Hueco Mundo, this is no coincidence," Head Captain spoke to all of them.

None of them could have said anything because they knew that Genryusai Yamamoto was right while the next moment, Ennetsu Jigoku reached its final phase and started to destroy everything in the area in which those seven pillars of fire were surrounding. "I am going to stay here and watch this demon getting incinerated by the flames of my Ryujin Jakka. However, it is up to your choice, whether you all wish to back off or join this demon in the afterlife," Genryusai Yamamoto spoke to all of them in a strict tone.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	35. Chapter 35

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 35: The Extinguished Fire**

* * *

None of them could have said anything because they knew that Genryusai Yamamoto was right while the next moment, Ennetsu Jigoku reached its final phase and started to destroy everything in the area which those seven pillars of fire were surrounding. "I am going to stay here and watch this demon getting incinerated by the flames of my Ryujin Jakka. However, it is up to your choice, whether you all wish to back off or join this demon in the afterlife," Genryusai Yamamoto spoke to all of them in a strict tone.

"Looks like Yamaji is not going to make things easier for us," Kyoraku said to Ukitake. "Everyone, let's take care of Ennetsu Jigoku first," Ukitake spoke while addressing everyone. "Bakudo 81, Danku!" Byakuya, Urahara, and Ukitake spoke simultaneously and three transparent barriers of energy appeared between them and the three pillars of fire. Now Byakuya commanded his Senbonzakura petals to swirl around one of the remaining four pillars of fire in order to constraint its increasing power while Yoruichi began to use her Shunko power to weaken the other one. The remaining two were being pressurized by Kyoraku and Ukitake while Urahara was still standing in front of Sesshomaru with his Blood Mist Shield active as a precaution against Genryusai Yamamoto.

The Head Captain didn't say anything upon watching the Captains trying to help Sesshomaru but he simply raised his spiritual pressure and ordered Ryujin Jakka to intensify the attack. As a result, several other pillars of fire appeared out of the ground, leaving absolutely no chance of survival for any one of them. The situation made everyone quite worried, Byakuya and Urahara decided to unleash their Bankai while Kyoraku and Ukitake were about to release their respective Shikai but before they could have done anything suddenly everyone got shocked to notice that Sesshomaru began to head towards Genryusai while raising his spiritual pressure. "What are you going to do?" Urahara asked anxiously. "No, Sesshomaru don't…" Yoruichi shouted at him worryingly. However, he didn't stop and the next moment he grabbed the burning blade of Ryujin Jakka with his bare hand which shocked even Genryusai himself.

Now the Daiyokai began to raise his spiritual pressure with as much intensity as possible while Genryusai was still unable to conclude the meaning behind his actions. Everyone present around him was clearly feeling his rising spiritual pressure moreover they were getting affected by it while Genryusai mumbled upon realizing Sesshomaru's intentions, "don't try to do the impossible."

"What is he trying to do, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked with concern. "Oh… if I am not wrong then perhaps, he is trying to…" Urahara spoke but stopped. "Perhaps what, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked in an insisted manner. "He is trying to..takeover Ryujin Jakka," Urahara answered with slight hesitation which shocked everyone else and they immediately turned towards Sesshomaru.

In the tough struggle of spiritual power, Sesshomaru succeeded eventually, though he gained control of the sword only for a few seconds yet it was enough to fulfill his intentions. "Dragon Strike!" Sesshomaru spoke loudly and the next moment, immense thunderbolts generated in the blade and as well as in the surroundings which eventually hit the pillars of fire and destroyed them one after another. However, the overuse of demonic energy while suffering the injury on the heart, proved to be troublesome for Sesshomaru as the next moment he fell unconscious while his spiritual pressure fell down to the critical level.

"Central 46 will be taking the final decision about him," the Head Captain said in a serious tone while leaving from there. "Looks like he saved us from the doom once again," Kyoraku said while looking at Sesshomaru. "Yes, Kyoraku, I am sure Central 46 won't overlook his good actions," Ukitake responded to him. "He doesn't seem very good, Yoruichi-san," Urahara said while sitting beside unconscious Sesshomaru in order to examine him. "Let's take him to Squad 4 barracks immediately," she replied with concern. "Take him to the Kuchiki Manor, I will order Squad 4 officials to send a relief team over there," Byakuya told them while leaving which slightly shocked everyone since it was oddly generous of him.

_**Next morning**_

There was a huge rush in the entire Seireitei and almost everyone seemed to be extremely busy with their immediate tasks even though the environment was somewhat melancholic due to the deaths of hundreds of Soul Reapers. The corpses of dead Shinigamis were well placed in the caskets at a spacious floor in Squad 13th for the purpose of their mass burial but everyone was waiting for their friends and relatives to pay the final tribute to them.

Genryusai and some other Captains were busy as the hearing of the recent issue was going in the Central 46 while the remaining ones were trying to reestablishing their respective Squads. Isshin was undergoing a spiritual pressure recovery treatment in the barracks of Squad 4 and he hadn't regained his consciousness yet.

Sesshomaru was sleeping in a room of the Kuchiki Family Manor while Lieutenant Isane Koketsu was herself attending him for the recovery treatment as per her Captain Unohana's order, thanks to Byakuya's request to her. Yoruichi was also there in the same room along with Sesshomaru and Byakuya while Urahara was having a word with Kyoraku and Ukitake while having a walk along with them in the area of Squad 8. After some time, Central 46 declared their decision and soon enough Urahara arrived in the Kuchiki Family Manor along with Kyoraku and Ukitake to share the decision of Central 46 with Byakuya and Yoruichi.

"Yoruichi-san, Central 46 has announced their decision and you won't believe what happened today," Urahara said to Yoruichi with a significant excitement and joy in his voice. "Oh! What did they say, Kisuke?" She asked him while it drew Byakuya's attention as well. "They commended Sesshomaru's contribution to the war last night and promised to make Soul Society accessible to him in the future. The Central 46 chief said that Soul King himself instructed him to take such a decision," Urahara told both of them. "Wow! That's great," Yoruichi responded joyfully. "I see, it's good but quite unexpected," Byakuya responded as well.

"However, they have also put up a few conditions," Kyoraku spoke to both Yoruichi and Byakuya as he also entered the room. "As expected from the Central 46," Byakuya muttered while waiting to know those conditions. "Sesshomaru will have to revive as many dead Shinigamis as possible, only then he will be allowed in the Soul Society in the future. The other condition states that once he is cured, he will have to leave the Soul Society immediately because Central 46 requires some time to create rules before he is allowed here," Kyoraku stated the rules to everyone. "This is still quite generous of them," Ukitake said to everyone as he entered. "Amm… forgive me everyone but it would be kind if you continue the conversation outside of the room," Isane politely spoke to everyone after which everyone left the room except Byakuya.

"And what did they say about us?" Yoruichi asked Urahara once they stepped out of the room. "Luckily, all of us are exempted this time but we are advised not to enter the Soul Society again unless it is really necessary but from now on Soul Society will officially start buying stuff from our shop," he answered her with a wide smile. "And Isshin?" she asked further. "For some reason, his Shinigami powers are blocked and thus Central 46 is sending him on vacations in the World of the Living for an unknown period of time," Ukitake answered her. "I see…!" Yoruichi responded in a serious manner. "It's good in a way, since from now on Isshin will be able to join us for a long time," Urahara said in his usual funny manner after which everyone laughed.

_**Later that day, in the evening**_

Sesshomaru recovered to a significant level by the noontime and then he spent a few hours in discussion with Urahara, Yoruichi, Byakuya, Kyoraku and Ukitake. It was hard but somehow Yoruichi managed to convince him to revive the dead Shinigamis, thanks to the honest efforts from Byakuya and Urahara. Afterward, he was seen taking a walk with Byakuya and visiting several chambers in the premises of Kuchiki Manor which was a bizarre scenario for many since both of them were sort of reserved and cold personalities but were getting along with each other quite well.

It was late night and finally, the time had come for the revival of the dead Shinigamis. All the Captains and Lieutenants were present at the spacious site to witness his miraculous capabilities of Sesshomaru. There were hundreds of corpses and thus it took four to five fully powerful slashes to revive all of them since Tensaiga was the sword that possessed the power to save 100 lives in one strike.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	36. Chapter 36

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc I: Genesis**

**Chapter 36: The Dead End**

* * *

Afterward, he was seen taking a walk with Byakuya and visiting several chambers in the premises of Kuchiki Manor which was a bizarre scenario for many since both of them were sort of reserved and cold personalities but were getting along with each other quite well.

It was late night and finally, the time had come for the revival of the dead Shinigamis. All the Captains and Lieutenants were present at the spacious site to witness his miraculous capabilities of Sesshomaru. There were hundreds of corpses and thus it took four to five fully powerful slashes to revive all of them since Tensaiga was the sword that possessed the power to save 100 lives in one strike.

Within a few seconds, all the corpses of Shinigamis began to move which terribly shocked each and everyone who was present there. The friends and relatives of those soldiers immediately rushed to them and in no time the entire surroundings got filled with tears of joy in everyone's eyes and loud praises for Sesshomaru. Squad 4 units immediately rushed towards the revived Shinigamis in order to attend them for a checkup which didn't seem to be needed.

Meanwhile, the Daiyokai simply sheathed his Tensaiga and began to walk away from there while the Captains and Lieutenants were still staring at him with the wonderment. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice which was masculine and strict, "Each and every member of your Yokai army is safely escorted to that mysterious well in the World of the Living and the Senkai Gate is ready for you as well," Genryusai Yamamoto spoke as he arrived there. Everyone except Sesshomaru bowed down to him and after a pause, the Daiyokai said, "I wish to visit Hueco Mundo before my departure."

"Oh, but why?" Yoruichi asked abruptly. "There is something I have which I want to leave in the Hueco Mundo," he replied. "Hand it over to me, I will throw it in the Hueco Mundo along with the Hollow garbage of my laboratory," Captain Kurotsuchi said to Sesshomaru. "It's not garbage and I will do this personally," Sesshomaru replied to him in a serious tone.

"Yoruichi-san, I think he is referring to that Hollow mask remnant," Urahara mumbled to her. "Oh, but why he would do go to Hueco Mundo for something like that?" She asked. "It belonged to a female Vasto Lorde, remember?" Urahara answered with a funny smile on his face." Yoruichi blushed a little and her eyes got widened with surprise, "oh looks like I am gonna have a hell lot of things to ask when he visits us the next time," she mumbled back to him.

When Sesshomaru and some others reached the location of the main Senkai Gate, the operator set its location to Hueco Mundo without orders which slightly surprised and irritated Genryusai but he chose to stay silent. Now Sesshomaru looked towards Urahara, Yoruichi and Byakuya before stepping towards the gate and he also made eye contact with both Kyoraku and Ukitake while they smiled at him. "Ah..Lord Sesshomaru, this gate will be opening at your desired location in the Hueco Mundo and then nearby that well in the World of the Living, have a safe journey," the operator said to him with a smile when he was about to step inside it. "Hmm," Sesshomaru responded. "Amm… and th..thanks for reviving my wife," the operator bowed and mumbled to Sesshomaru right before he disappeared into the gate.

* * *

**Nearby Halibel's hideout, Hueco Mundo…**

As usual, the entire area was calm and silent with an endless white desert beneath the eternal night. It seemed that recently she got slightly irritated by the heated conversation between Sung-Sun and Mila Rose and thus she decided to come out of the hideout and take a walk in the utter loneliness. Meanwhile, Sesshomaru had already arrived there with the help of a Senkai Gate and it didn't take him much longer to sense her and reach significantly close to her location. Though it didn't seem to be at all from his face and body language but in actual, he was somewhat excited about seeing her once again.

"This sensation… it's..it's a spiritual pressure," Halibel mumbled to herself upon getting stirred to sense Sesshomaru's spiritual pressure. Soon enough they confronted each other, for a few moments, none of them uttered a single word while Sesshomaru was calmly gazing at her face. On the other hand, Halibel seemed to be feeling quite uncomfortable due to his presence. Sesshomaru immediately sensed the unease in her eyes and asked, "Is everything alright?" However, he received no answer from her while she was still staring at him in a bizarre manner. He wondered if she is in some kind of trouble and then he spoke while frowning as he walked towards her, "What's wrong, Tia?"

She took a few steps back and responded in a slightly hesitant voice, "Who are you and how do you know my name?" Sesshomaru was shocked to have such a response from her and thus he spoke to her further after a pause, "What are you saying? If this is some kind of joke then know that I do not appreciate it."

"You are neither a Hollow, a soul Reaper nor even a Quincy and thus I have got no business with you, stay away from me," She warned him in a strict manner. "Why is she acting like this? She seemed to be frightened due to my spiritual pressure but why?" Sesshomaru whispered to himself with immense confusion. Now she decided to leave from there but the moment she turned around Sesshomaru used his demonic speed and grabbed her wrist. "Why do you wish to run away from me?" He asked while narrowing his eyes on her. "Because you are simply a male who is drooling over my body, let me go you vile demon, I won't allow you to exploit me," she said to him furiously and the next moment a hard slap hit Sesshomaru's face. It seemed the imprint of that slap was far deeper on his heart in comparison to what was visible on his cheek. He didn't even come out of the shock which he got from her slap while the next moment she hit his right arm with a powerful swing of her blade which tore his kimono's sleeve and inflicted a significantly deeper cut at his arm. His grip loosened due to the bleeding injury while Halibel immediately freed her arm and ran away from there. Sesshomaru was utterly clueless about her behavior but since that event had affected him thus he decided to return to his time silently.

* * *

**The next morning, Urahara Shop, World of the Living…**

It was pretty early morning thus Tessai, Ururu and Jinta were still asleep while Urahara was partially awake and Yoruichi had already woken up and walking around in the shop for coffee and other stuff. She opened the main door of the shop while yawning in order to pick up the newspaper but the thing which was lying next to the newspaper greatly surprised her, "Kisuke!" she called loudly. Urahara immediately got up and reached there in no time only to get shocked by the scenario as well. Right beside newspaper, a remnant of Halibel's mask was lying on the ground and it was drenched in blood while some drops of blood were also splattered around. "I think I have seen this Hollow mask remnant with Sesshomaru. It was kept inside his kimono while he was taking rest in the Kuchiki Manor," Urahara said while picking it up. "It seems to be the demon blood, he was injured, he came here then where did he go without seeing us?" Yoruichi mumbled with concern. "I will try to investigate it," Urahara responded in a serious tone.

* * *

**Chamber of the Head Captain, Squad 1 building, Soul Society…**

Genryusai Yamamoto just entered his chamber and as usual, he approached his table in order to start working but suddenly his sight caught a tightly sealed strange black envelope which was on his table. "Hmm as expected, a confidential order from Central 46," the old Shinigami mumbled to himself. He picked up that envelop and stood nearby the series of large windows of his chamber. However, before opening the envelope, he ordered his Lieutenant Chojiro Sasakibe to immediately send the Captain of Squad 12 Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi in his chamber and also to stop anyone else from even coming close to his chamber let alone entering it.

Chojiro didn't waste a single moment in acting on the orders of his Captain while Genryusai Yamamoto opened that envelop and began to read its content very carefully. Soon enough Mayuri entered the chamber upon seeing whom the Head Captain said, "put up a permanent stop on Bone-Eater Well's time-traveling ability so that no demon including him can ever step foot in our time again." Kurotsuchi replied, "Consider it done."

* * *

**To be continued…**

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

_My dear readers, this was the final chapter of the "Arc I: Genesis" and hopefully, you have liked it so far. Please let me know through your reviews/comments that what do you think about it as they also motivate me to keep writing and update my story on a regular basis. This arc must have left you with several unanswered questions but don't worry since the story is far from over and thus I will be continuing it from Chapter 37 onwards with a new arc._

_Stay tuned…_


	37. Chapter 37

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 37: Twist of Fate**

* * *

_Do you really believe that even the most impactful events in one's life are merely coincidences?_

_In fact, most people think that there is nothing like destiny and the events of our lives are purely coincidences. However, sometimes the bonds which we established in the past, but lost in the flow of time, they reappear into our present and shape our future in a way which is even beyond the greatest of our imaginations. Perhaps, destiny is not as random as we believe and it doesn't propagate in a straight path either, but it is like a storm that is raging upon the calm surface of an endless ocean._

_**Suggested Music: "United" **__by__** Hidden Citizens (feat. Ranya)**_

Sesshomaru's first journey to the Present proved to be a dramatic not only for himself but also for both Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society. Since he had established some new bonds over there thus there were many who were expecting his arrival once again and that too very soon but it seemed that fate had some other plans for him.

Only after a few days of Sesshomaru's return to the Feudal Era, Kikyo took the Shikon Jewel along with her in the afterlife due to which the Bone-eater's well stopped its function as a time portal while Mayuri Kurotsuchi had also installed a barrier in the well to stop him and other Yokais from entering the present time. Several years had passed and Sesshomaru couldn't visit the Present due to which almost everyone lost the hope of seeing him again. Byakuya thought that it might be his decision to not interfere with the present again since he was a serious and thoughtful person. Both Yoruichi and Urahara had also accepted it as fate and eventually stopped the investigation which they were carrying out on him. In time, almost everyone had forgotten Sesshomaru in the present time except a few individuals who still used to remember him at times.

**During the next 54 years**

A lot of significant events occurred during this time in both the Feudal Era and in the Present. A fraction of Midoriko's soul reincarnated as Kagome in the modern World of the Living and the Shikon Jewel returned along with her. After she grew up into a teen, she traveled to the Feudal Era through Bone-eater's well and freed Inuyasha from Kikyo's spell. Afterwards, the Shikon Jewel shattered into numerous small fragments that scattered far across the land while Inuyasha and Kagome decided to collect all of them in order to reform the jewel. Meanwhile, Sesshomaru, who had grown colder during this time, pursued Inuyasha to take possession of their father's sword the Tetsusaiga but failed and lost his left arm in the process. On the other hand, Naraku had also started to create hurdles in the path of Inuyasha's group and even tried to interfere with Sesshomaru as well.

As their adventures continued, Sesshomaru stopped pursuing Inuyasha's group while he had also acquired Rin as his new companion and a new sword Tokijin which was later discarded by him. In time, he perfected the Meido Zangetsuha technique and passed it down to Inuyasha while eventually acquiring a sword of his own i.e. Bakusaiga. Inuyasha also grew stronger as new powerful abilities got added to his Tetsusaiga. Ultimately, with the combined efforts of everyone, Naraku was destroyed from the World of the Living while Kagome made a wish upon the Shikon Jewel due to which both the Jewel and Naraku disappeared to the non-existent world. After 3 years, the Bone-eater's well regained its ability of a time portal which even dissolved the barrier that Kurotsuchi installed on it but Sesshomaru remained unaware of this fact.

Meanwhile, Hueco Mundo and Soul Society had also gone through a significant series of events. Harribel had acquired a new companion in the form of Apacci. Isshin got married to a woman named Masaki and they were blessed with the three children, a boy named Ichigo and two girls, Yuzu and Karin. However, sadly Masaki died in a mysterious accident during an encounter with a Hollow from whom she tried to protect Ichigo. Aizen was also executing his plans and monitoring Ichigo to control the events of his life. Rukia transferred her powers to Ichigo under special circumstances due to which his Shinigami powers activated and later he saved her from the death sentence, given to her by the Soul Society. Afterward, Aizen was finally able to create the perfect Arrancars with the help of his Hogyoku and he eventually formed an army of 10 Espadas that included Harribel as well.

While different low-level Arrancars were attacking Word of the Living, Aizen sent Ulquiorra to abduct Orihime due to her special abilities and succeeded in his attempt. Later Ichigo and his friends invaded Las Noches in order to rescue her. Soon they received help from the Soul Society in the form of four Captains i.e. Byakuya, Kenpachi, Unohana, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi. The Captains eliminated Szayel Aporro, Zommari Rureaux, Nnoitra Gilga, and Yammy Riyalgo while Aaroniero Arruruerie was taken out by Rukia. Grimmjow was defeated by Ichigo and was fatally wounded by none other but Nnoitra after that battle. On the other hand, Ulquiorra died upon getting disintegrated because of the overuse of his spirit energy in the Segunda Etapa form while Stark, Barragan and Harribel along with their Fraccions were deployed in the World of the Living at Fake Karakura town for the final showdown against the Gotei 13.

* * *

**Not so far away from Bone-Eater's well, Feudal Era…**

Yang came out of the well in the Feudal Era and she was looking quite tensed and desperate. She swiftly roamed around in order to find a clue or someone who could have helped her. After some time, she came across a humanoid Yokai with a huge wolf-like head. He was leaned against a rock and seemed to be asleep. Yang rushed to him and shouted in order to wake him up. "Huh, what? Where am I? What happened" Royakan murmured to himself upon getting awake. "Where can I find Sesshomaru?" Yang asked him in a serious tone. At first, Royakan gazed at her from top to the bottom and then answered, "well, he is spending most of his time in his mother's Sky Palace lately," the wolf-headed Yokai answered. "His mother's Sky Palace? Where is it located? Lead me to him," Yang requested abruptly. "No, I won't go there without Lord Sesshomaru's permission and you shouldn't go there as well," Royakan replied. "I don't care demon, just tell me where it is located," Yang spoke frustratingly. "My wolf will show you the path," he spoke after a three-eyed wolf jumped out of his huge mouth.

Now Yang started to follow that wolf as it swiftly headed towards the Sky Palace and it didn't take them too long to reach close enough that it had finally started to visible to them. The wolf returned to Royakan while Yang headed straight towards the beautiful palace.

**Inside the Sky Palace…**

Sesshomaru and his mother were sitting together in the chamber and she was lecturing him about the importance of marriage in his life, being the only true successor of the great Dog Demon Empire. Suddenly a few guards asked their permission to enter the chamber and then they informed both Sesshomaru and his mother about a female trespasser whom they had caught.

"A powerful female which is not a Yokai, interesting," Sesshomaru's mother mumbled upon listening to the news. "She must be someone from the other world I visited around 50 years ago," Sesshomaru said to his mother. "If that world is really full of powerful women who are not human then I would like to visit it someday. Perhaps, it would be easier to find a princess for you over there than it seemed to be here in our world," She responded back to Sesshomaru. "I am going to check who she is," he spoke while leaving the chamber along with the guards.

Sesshomaru reached the outer floor of the palace where the palace guards had brought Yang for interrogation. "Yang, how dare you to arrive here?" Sesshomaru asked her in a serious manner. "Sesshomaru! Please listen to me, Harribel is in grave danger," She said abruptly. "What happened to her?" He asked while narrowing his eyes. "Aizen had gathered an army of powerful Arrancars and she is one of them. Currently, they are gathered in the Karakura town in order to have a decisive battle against the Captains of the Soul Society. Lord Orkos wants you to get her out of the battle because he can't come out in open in front of everyone," she answered him. "Hmm, I will go but not because Orkos wants me to and if this is a trap then he won't breathe again," Sesshomaru said in a strict manner before leaving along with her to the Present.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	38. Chapter 38

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 38: An Uneasy Reunion**

* * *

"What happened to her?" He asked while narrowing his eyes. "Aizen had gathered an army of powerful Arrancars and she is one of them. Currently, they are gathered in the Karakura town in order to have a decisive battle against the Captains of the Soul Society. Lord Orkos wants you to get her out of the battle because he can't come out in open in front of everyone," she answered him. "Hmm, I will go but not because Orkos wants me to and if this is a trap then he won't breathe again," Sesshomaru said in a strict manner before leaving along with her to the Present.

* * *

**After some time in the Battle of Fake Karakura Town, World of the Living…**

A fierce battle was going on between the Shinigamis of the Soul Society and the Arrancars of the Aizen's army. Suddenly a moment came in that battle which shocked everyone, a lot of blood splashed in the midair because Aizen just slashed one of his comrades. The victim was an Espada and that too none other but Harribel herself, who was fighting against Toshiro, Hiyori, and Lisa. "I am done with you. It seems you are not strong enough to fight for me," Aizen told her in his usual egoistic and calm tone. She stepped back a bit with her hand tightly wrapped around the deep wound at her belly while her eyes were wide opened with the shock of Aizen's unexpected betrayal. "I…I don't understand…" She murmured in a weak voice. "Isn't it obvious? Even if I made any more of you sacrifice yourselves, it would achieve nothing. I went through a lot of trouble to gather you Espadas but I have never expected that your gathered strengths will be inferior to that of mine." He spoke further in a serious tone.

Aizen's statement shocked her even more than she already was but it didn't take her long to realize that in whom she had put her trust, for whose sake her Fraccions died and from whose side she was fighting for this long, he was merely using her all this time for his own selfish plans. Now her anger reached its peak, she chafed her teeth while looking towards him furiously and the next moment, rushed towards him with all of her remaining strength to put into one final blow. "How troublesome," Aizen spoke normally in a calm tone just as her weapon hit him at the right side of his abdomen. For her surprise, even after receiving such a powerful hit, Aizen had no expressions of pain or disturbance on his face. While she was extremely confused and rapidly losing her strength and consciousness, suddenly Aizen's body got shattered like glass. It didn't take her long to realize that she ended up attacking an illusion and the next moment, she felt a sword slowly penetrating right through her skin at the back of her left shoulder. "Don't make me go through the effort to swing my sword twice on the likes of you," Aizen said while stabbing her from behind but before he could have slashed her completely, a turquoise colored wave of demonic energy shoved him away from her.

The scenario greatly shocked each and everyone present over there, especially Genryusai Yamamoto, because the person who just saved Harribel was none other but Sesshomaru himself. The Daiyokai moved quickly and caught the falling Harribel in his arms while Aizen had deflected the energy wave by now. "Lord Sesshomaru, long time no see. Besides, I had no idea that you will step into this battle only for the sake of a lowly Arrancar," Aizen spoke in a bit playful manner but Sesshomaru ignored his words and began to retreat from there.

Harribel, on the other hand, tried to get out of Sesshomaru's arms but he didn't allow her to do so and said, "Do not move and try to save your spirit energy." Harribel was feeling as if her strength is fading away while she was also furious and frustrated by Aizen's betrayal and also because of the way Sesshomaru was holding her in his arms since during their last meeting around 50 years ago, she refused to even recognize him. All of a sudden Genryusai Yamamoto stood in his path and stopped him. "I don't know how did you manage to come back to the Present again but how did you penetrate this barrier when my Lieutenant was guarding outside it?" Head Captain Genryusai asked him in a slightly strict manner. "Both your Lieutenant and barrier proved to be fragile against my might and now I must leave," Sesshomaru replied to him and left from there while Soifon grunted upon his rude response to the Head Captain. On the other hand, both Kyoraku and Ukitake wondered about why did he save an Espada.

"It is interesting to witness a demon so desperate to save an Arrancar, moreover Harribel who never allowed any men to even come close to her, accepted his aid with minimal resistance," Gin spoke while watching Sesshomaru fleeing with Harribel in his arms. "There is nothing to wonder, Gin… after all, both of them are merely a kind of primitive monsters," Aizen responded to Gin's words. "You are right, Captain Aizen..they are acting according to their beast-like survival instincts. It is so unfortunate that there are so few like us who hold the insights and understanding of this world along with the ability to act in a righteous manner."

* * *

**Meanwhile, in the Feudal Era…**

Oddly Yang hadn't reached the Present yet while Sesshomaru didn't notice it since that time he was quite occupied by the news he got from her about Harribel. She was roaming here and there throughout the lands as if she was searching for someone and suddenly she confronted an infantry unit that was heading towards her. They were looking exactly like that of shirtless human soldiers, it's just they had pale blue skin with white hairs. Yang stood still while those soldiers seized her from all sides. The next moment, she suddenly attacked all of them by releasing fire in a circular fashion that scorched almost all of them but then she deliberately allowed herself to get caught by them. "What happened bitch? Lost all of your fiery power already?" The unit captain spoke to her furiously. "Take me to your Lord you insects otherwise I will burn all of you down to the ashes right away," Yang warned them with a confident smile at her lips while they were holding her tightly. "We are already ordered to find all the powerful females regardless of any race and present them in front of our Lord so consider your wish granted," one of the soldiers replied to her. "hmm, that's better," Yang responded gladly.

* * *

**The Urahara Shop, World of the Living…**

Sesshomaru had managed to bring Harribel to Urahara's Shop despite all the harsh words and attempts of pushing him away by her. "Where have you brought me, you damn monster? Want to take advantage of me while I am injured?" She said to him furiously as he landed right in front of the shop's main gate. Like all this time, he chose not to respond to her and thus he immediately rushed inside the shop. "Where is Kisuke Urahara?" He asked the moment he saw Jinta and Ururu. Bewildered by the scenario, Ururu dropped the duster which she was holding while Jinta immediately rushed inside to call both Urahara and Yoruichi instead of replying to Sesshomaru.

When they heard the news of Sesshomaru's arrival they got shocked and immediately rushed to him but what shocked them more was the fact that he was holding a female Espada in his arms and moreover she seemed to be critically injured yet was struggling to get free from his hold. "Wha..What's going on?" Urahara asked with great amazement. "Who the hell is she?" Yoruichi also asked shockingly. "They are the Soul Reapers, aren't they? Wh..Why have you brought me here? Answer me now!" Harribel asked Sesshomaru abruptly in an utterly frustrating manner. "Just shut up for a moment," Sesshomaru responded to her in a strict tone. Both Urahara and Yoruichi were watching them shockingly with dumb expressions since they were utterly lacking any clue about the situation.

"Urahara, can you heal her?" He asked. "Umm… sure, just make her lie down over there," Urahara replied while pointing towards a bed with a confused face. "The very sight of you makes me sick," Harribel mumbled angrily while glaring towards Sesshomaru. "So… what the hell is happening?" Yoruichi anxiously asked Sesshomaru. "She is injured by Aizen," he replied. "Then why does she seem to be so angry at you? Who is she?" Yoruichi asked in a serious tone. "She is the same female Hollow whom I was seeking when I came here the first time, around 50 years ago." He answered.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	39. Chapter 39

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 39: A Deal and a Favor**

* * *

"Urahara, can you heal her?" He asked. "Umm… sure, just make her lie down over there," Urahara replied while pointing towards a bed with a confused face. "The very sight of you makes me sick," Harribel mumbled angrily while glaring towards Sesshomaru. "So… what the hell is happening?" Yoruichi anxiously asked Sesshomaru. "She is injured by Aizen," he replied. "Then why does she seem to be so angry at you? Who is she?" Yoruichi asked in a serious tone. "She is the same female Hollow whom I was seeking when I came here the first time, around 50 years ago." He answered.

"But what have you done to her?" Yoruichi asked Sesshomaru in an insisting manner. "When I arrived in the present the very first time, she is the one who helped me locating my sword in the Hueco Mundo while in return I helped her in rescuing her comrades but after my fight in the Soul Society when I went to return the Mask remnant to her…" Sesshomaru answered Yoruichi but was interrupted in between by Urahara. "Then her behavior towards you got changed for no reason and probably she even refused to recognize you, isn't it?" The blond guy in sandals and hat spoke with a mysterious smile on his face. "Yes," Sesshomaru responded with amazement. "Oh, how do you know all this, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked upon getting shocked to notice by Sesshomaru's response that it was the truth. The next moment, Urahara went inside his shop and came back with that Mask remnant and a small piece of a golden gemstone. "This is the same Hollow-mask remnant that you left on my shop around 50 years ago, I found this yellow gemstone embedded in it and when I studied it, I found that this little thing actually possesses the power to manipulate one's memories," Urahara explained to him in a serious tone. "Hmm… I think I know who is responsible for this," Sesshomaru mumbled in a serious tone as he remembered that he saw similar golden gemstones embedded in the body of Orkos.

"What are you thinking?" Urahara asked him. "There are several things about your world which I need to discuss with you but first, I will have to fix her memories and in that, I need your help," Sesshomaru said to him. "Sure, just tell me what I have to do," he responded. "I want you to send me to the Hueco Mundo once again," Sesshomaru said in a serious tone. "I think, both Espadas and the Captains are still battling over there," Yoruichi spoke with concern. "I have no business with them, there's someone else I seek," he replied to her. "Yoruichi-san, can you make the Garganta arrangements for him? I am a bit busy in preparing that special Kido seal for Aizen and your armor," Urahara requested. "Sure, why not," she replied and left to the underground section of the shop while Sesshomaru followed her. "Jinta, you go and help her. Ururu is there to monitor Harribel's condition," Urahara said after which Jinta also left to that underground training ground.

It didn't take them long to open a Garganta to the Hueco Mundo but the moment Sesshomaru was going to enter it, Yoruichi asked him, "Earlier she helped you in locating your lost sword but why do you wish to save her now?" Sesshomaru got speechless for a moment upon her question but soon enough he answered, "I have got a personal score to settle with the person who had done that to her, that's it." Yoruichi chuckled slightly and didn't ask anything else as she had realized that he won't simply admit the truth about his feelings.

* * *

**Fake Karakura Town, World of the Living…**

The battle had become unexpectedly fiercer after the elimination of the Espadas because now the main unit of Aizen had entered the fray. Wonderweiss had already defeated Mashiro while Kensei had begun fighting against him in order to avenge Mashiro as well as to eliminate him quickly.

Meanwhile, Hiyori was getting impatient to attack Aizen but Shinji was constantly trying to stop her. However, Aizen taunted all the Vizards and successfully provoked her due to which she couldn't help and rushed towards him but ended up getting critically injured by Gin's Zanpakuto.

On the other hand, Hisagi and Komamura were fighting against Tosen but he was easily dominating both of them after getting Hollowfied. During their fierce battle, Tosen changed his form further and turned into a complete Hollow. Now in his new form, he utterly dominated Komamura and crushed his Bankai but before he could have killed him, Hisagi attacked Tosen from behind and tore his throat by releasing his Shikai with his Zanpakuto penetrating right through his neck. Afterward, Tosen reverted to his original body in his final moments and when he was in the middle of a warm and emotional conversation with both Komamura and Hisagi, his body got burst all of a sudden which terribly enraged Komamura.

* * *

**An unknown castle, Feudal Era…**

Yang was taken to an unknown bizarre castle by those grey soldiers. The weather around the castle was oddly different than the rest of the places. Dark clouds were seemed to be suspended over the castle in a large area due to which it was quite dark in the surroundings while the nearby land was cracked and it seemed that lava was erupting out of the cavities. Yang was unable to see properly but all she was able to comprehend that the soldiers left her before a spacious heightened platform, upon which a tall and armored humanoid figure was sitting on a throne while a feminine humanoid figure was seemed to be standing right beside him. However, she was clearly feeling their spiritual pressure which was far exceeding her own, especially of the male who was sitting on the throne. It didn't take her long to realize that he was far more powerful than her Lord Orkos.

"We have heard that you deliberately got yourself arrested in order to meet my lord," the sweet feminine voice addressed Yang. "Ye..Yes… I was actually sent here by… Lo..Lord Orkos," she replied with hesitation. "Why that coward has sent you to me?" The demonically echoing masculine voice echoed. "He was expecting you in the Feudal Era and he has told me to provide you with this," Yang responded and the next moment she took out a golden gemstone from her pocket. The male stretched his hand and the next moment the gemstone reached him telekinetically. After observing the gemstone for a few minutes, he ordered, "You may go."

The soldiers grabbed her arms immediately and took her out of the castle while Yang pondered over this uncomfortable experience and headed towards the Bone-Eater's well silently.

* * *

**Negal Ruins, Hueco Mundo…**

The Garganta portal opened directly into the Negal Ruins after which Sesshomaru didn't take much longer to reach the underground areas. Soon enough he confronted Yin and as soon as she saw him, she said, "Follow me." Sesshomaru began to follow her upon realizing that Orkos must be expecting him and that's why he had sent Yin in advance. They reached the chamber where Orkos was waiting for him, in no time. "Sesshomaru," Orkos murmured upon seeing him. "Orkos," he mumbled while giving him a cold stare.

"I can't express my gratefulness to you in words, for rescuing my sister from that mess," Orkos said to Sesshomaru in a polite tone. "There is one more mess and I want you to take her out of it," the Daiyokai replied. "And what makes you think that I will do it?" Orkos asked him in a playful manner. "I will simply make you do it by force," Sesshomaru answered in a serious tone while slowly putting his hand on the hilt of his sword. Yin immediately unleashed her electric whip in order to defend her Lord but before she could have clashed with Sesshomaru, Orkos signaled her to stop.

"I think we can come to an arrangement, Sesshomaru. A favor in return of a favor, what do you say?" Orkos asked him with a mysterious smile on his face. "What is it?" He asked while continuously giving him a cold stare. "A lot of significant Hollows had lost their lives in the ongoing battle and that includes my sister's Fraccions as well. But you Sesshomaru, you can provide all of them with a second chance," Orkos explained his desire. "Hmm, but first, you will be fixing her memories," Sesshomaru said in a serious tone. "You desperately want her back, don't you?" Orkos muttered to him while throwing a golden gemstone towards him. "She helped me when I was injured so I am simply returning the favor to her," Sesshomaru responded while catching the gemstone. "This gemstone will guide you about the dead Arrancars… my sister will be proud of you, Sesshomaru," Orkos said before the Daiyokai left.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	40. Chapter 40

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 40: Beginning of the Revival**

* * *

"A lot of significant Hollows had lost their lives in the ongoing battle and that includes my sister's Fraccions as well. But you Sesshomaru, you can provide all of them with a second chance," Orkos explained his desire. "Hmm, but first, you will be fixing her memories," Sesshomaru said in a serious tone. "You desperately want her back, don't you?" Orkos muttered to him while throwing a golden gemstone towards him. "She helped me when I was injured so I am simply returning the favor to her," Sesshomaru responded while catching the gemstone. "This gemstone will guide you about the dead Arrancars… my sister will be proud of you, Sesshomaru," Orkos said before the Daiyokai left.

* * *

**The Urahara Shop…**

Harribel was asleep due to the effect of the medicines which were given to her in order to relax her body while her injuries were getting healed and it seemed that they had got healed to a significant extent already. However, she seemed to be pretty uncomfortable and disturbed in the sleep for the last half hour and ultimately she got up with a shock. Her head was hurting out of severe pain while she was sweating and her eyes were widened as if she was shocked by something. "Aaarrgh, what is happening to me?" She mumbled in pain while her memories were coming back to her and giving her the realization of the things that took place with her in the last 54 years. "No no no… how the hell can I do this to Lord Sesshomaru?… damned no, Apacci, Mila Rose, Sung-Sun… aarrgh, why… why I was such a fool… shit! What happened to me? I don't fucking understand…" She spoke to herself in utter anger and frustration as tears were rolling down her eyes.

Meanwhile, both Urahara and Yoruichi weren't so far away from her room and thus their voice was clearly audible to Harribel since she was all alone in the room. "Hey Kisuke, I wanted to tell you something important about Sesshomaru," Yoruichi said to Urahara while both of them were busy preparing Kido seal and armor to fight against Aizen. "Oh, what is it, Yoruichi-san?" he responded. "I think Sesshomaru loves her," she said in a serious tone. "What? How come?" He muttered with confusion. "Didn't you notice Kisuke, the way she was behaving and yet he was focused on saving her, why?" Yoruichi replied in an insisting manner. "Perhaps he just respects her due to the fact that she helped him in locating his sword the last time," Urahara answered in a slightly ignorant tone. "Then tell me, why did he rush to the Negal Ruins as soon as you mentioned that somebody manipulated her memories?"

Yoruichi's question left Harribel speechless who was listening to their conversation. "Yes, I remember now, Orkos attacked my group and only after that everything's changed but why Lord Sesshomaru went there all alone, I must ask them if they are tracking his location or if they know where is he right now," She muttered to herself and then got up from the bed but before she could have come out of the room both Urahara and Yoruichi noticed her. "I think she needs something, Yoruichi-san," Urahara told her. "Yes, let me see," she replied and entered the room in order to check on Harribel.

"So, you are awake," Yoruichi said to her. "Yes," Harribel replied and once again sat down on the bed. However, the way she turned her face away from Yoruichi made her feel as if she was trying to hide her face. Yoruichi now walked up to her and sat down beside her, she noticed that her eyes were slightly red and moist as if she had been crying. "Are you alright?" She asked in a polite tone. Harribel didn't speak for a few seconds but eventually asked, "I am an Arrancar and you are Soul Reapers, then why did you help me?"

"Because Sesshomaru brought you here and we trust him," Yoruichi answered. "I see," she responded in a sad manner. "Why are you so sad, Harribel? Tell me please," Yoruichi requested her in an insisting manner. "It's nothing, never mind," she responded. "Come on! Think of me as your sister and tell me. After all, you are close to our friend Sesshomaru, how can I leave you alone like this when you are looking so sad," Yoruichi spoke to her in a soft tone while holding her hands. "This battle might still be going on but I have already lost, Yoruichi. My comrades, whom I cared for and protected for so many years, this battle took them away from me and I was manipulated to hurt the one who did so much for me and still doing. I have simply failed each and everyone who is connected to me," Harribel spoke in a weak voice while looking down. "Stay strong! Harribel, this is not the end. Sesshomaru has already fixed your manipulated memories, hasn't he? I am sure he will fix everything else as well, he will revive your comrades, don't worry." Yoruichi replied while tightly squeezing her hands. "Revive my comrades?" Harribel mumbled with a slight shock. "Yes, he can revive the dead, that's why I tell you, don't worry," Yoruichi responded with a smile. "I see" Harribel uttered in a low tone with serious expressions while constantly thinking about how she was being nothing more than a burden on him.

* * *

**Negal Ruins, Hueco Mundo…**

Both Orkos and Yin were standing in one of the underground chambers and the next moment, Yang arrived there and bowed down to him. "I was just waiting for you, Yang," Orkos said upon seeing her. "Your work is done, Lord Orkos," she replied while getting up. "I expected nothing less from you. So, what do you think when he will be making his move?" Orkos asked her in a serious manner while narrowing his eyes. "Very soon my Lord," Yang answered. "You two will not be leaving the boundaries of Negal Ruins for some time, no matter what," Orkos told both of them while walking away. "But why my lord?" Yin asked. "Because I don't want any of you to get caught by the force of the storm which is about to come," Orkos replied as he left. "He seems way too serious than usual," Yin murmured while wondering about his changed attitude.

* * *

**The uppermost portion of the Hueco Mundo…**

The golden jewel which Orkos gave to Sesshomaru had provided him with more than enough information about the Arrancars. Since he already had the experience of reviving the dead Shinigamis thus he knew that both Hollows and Shinigamis are not purely physical entities, unlike humans. He decided to revive the powerful Espadas before the weaker ones. Since both Stark and Barragan had died in the World of the Living thus it was impossible to revive them in the Hueco Mundo. Harribel and Nelliel were still alive and thus the first one whom he decided to resurrect was none other but Espada 4, Ulquiorra Cifer.

In order to resurrect him, Sesshomaru reached the site where he died because the fine particles of his body and spirit energy were still floating in the environment of that area. However, both Orihime and Uryu were already present over there since the former was healing the injuries of the later. Both of them got wildered upon sensing the powerful and fierce spiritual pressure of Sesshomaru and they immediately prepared themselves to fight against him. "Run, Inoue-san! He is really powerful," Uryu said to Orihime. "No, Ishida-kun, I won't leave you alone in this condition," Orihime insisted to stay. Sesshomaru had reached quite close to them and now he got busy sensing the scattered spirit energy particles of Ulquiorra in the surrounding. "Who are you?" Uryu asked Sesshomaru in a serious tone but he didn't reply and the next moment, he unsheathed his Tensaiga. "What do you want?" Uryu shouted at him while summoning his Quincy bow but still Sesshomaru didn't respond.

Now Tensaiga began to glow with the light blue colored demonic aura and started to track the spirit energy particles of Ulquiorra. Soon enough the surroundings filled with glowing energy particles and at the distance of a few steps away from Sesshomaru, a whirlwind of demonic energy began to pull all those glowing particles inside it. In the next few moments, those energy particles began to combine at the center of that whirlwind and slowly took the shape of a blur humanoid figure while changing their color to green. The intense light engulfed the entire area with an explosion of green spirit energy and when all the smoke and dust got dispersed, both Orihime and Uryu got utterly shocked to witness the scenario because Ulquiorra was standing right in front of them in his Segunda Etapa form. "Ulquiorra," Orihime whispered with great amazement.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	41. Chapter 41

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 41: Revival of Espadas I**

* * *

Soon enough the surroundings filled with glowing energy particles and at the distance of a few steps away from Sesshomaru, a whirlwind of demonic energy began to pull all those glowing particles inside it. In the next few moments, those energy particles began to combine at the center of that whirlwind and slowly took the shape of a blur humanoid figure while changing their color to green. The intense light engulfed the entire area with an explosion of green spirit energy and when all the smoke and dust got dispersed, both Orihime and Uryu got utterly shocked to witness the scenario because Ulquiorra was standing right in front of them in his Segunda Etapa form. "Ulquiorra," Orihime whispered with great amazement.

"I..I was dead… my body got scattered. How am I alive again?" Ulquiorra asked with great amazement while looking towards Orihime and then turning towards Sesshomaru. "I have revived you back to life," Sesshomaru replied to him while putting his Tensaiga back in its sheath. "Why? What do you want me to do?" Ulquiorra asked in a serious tone after a pause since he was busy observing Daiyokai's unique and fearsome spiritual pressure. "Nothing," Sesshomaru replied while walking away from there towards the lower area of Las Noches with artificial daylight. While Ulquiorra was still wondering about Sesshomaru, Uryu asked him, "So what now, Ulquiorra? Do you still wish to fight us?" He looked towards Orihime and replied to Uryu while gazing into her eyes, "Aizen was my Lord, I fought for him and died in the process, I have completed my duty for him." For some time both Orihime and Ulquiorra stared at each other and eventually, she said in a low voice, "please, stay here until I am healing Ishida-kun." He didn't reply to her but it seemed that he wasn't planning to go anywhere either.

* * *

**Meanwhile in the Battle of Fake Karakura Town, World of the Living…**

Komamura roared at Aizen upon getting enraged by the heartbreaking scenario of the sudden burst of Tosen's body but before he could have attacked him, Ichigo came out of a Garganta and attacked Aizen from behind with multiple waves of immensely powerful Getsuga Tensho. Ichigo's attempt to kill Aizen proved to be futile because a defensive Kido barrier right behind his head blocked and ultimately absorbed all the energy of Getsuga Tensho waves.

However, Ichigo didn't stop here and further tried to fight against Aizen but the later easily dodged all of the attacks which shocked and demoralized the former to a great extent. Now he further demoralized Ichigo by revealing that all the incidents in his life including his birth were actually planned. Suddenly Komamura grabbed Ichigo's sword and advised him to stay strong and ignore Aizen's words. Soon enough all the Captains and the Vizards stood in front of Ichigo in order to face Aizen so that they can provide him with an opportunity to hit that villain.

* * *

**Las Noches artificial daylight region, Hueco Mundo…**

Sesshomaru had arrived at the place where Kenpachi Zaraki killed Nnoitra and it didn't take him long to find the bloodied corpse of the fifth Espada. Once again he drew his Tensaiga and as he did, the minions of the Netherworld appeared all around Nnoitra's corpse. With one swing of his Tensaiga, Sesshomaru destroyed all those creatures of the Netherworld and the next moment, Nnoitra came back to life while all of his injuries and damages were perfectly recovered.

Nnoitra was obviously under a huge shock upon getting resurrected all of a sudden. He slowly grabbed his weapons and gazed towards Sesshomaru who was standing right in front of him and was putting his sword back into its sheath. "What is this feeling? What happened to me?" Nnoitra mumbled after a long pause upon getting snapped out of the shock. Sesshomaru started to walk away from there but Nnoitra stopped him by rudely blocking his path with one of his long scythes. "You have resurrected me, haven't you?" Nnoitra asked in a serious tone. "Is there any doubt?" Sesshomaru counter questioned. "What do you want? Speak up!" Nnoitra asked further. "I have already done what I wanted to," he replied.

Now Nnoitra removed his weapon from Sesshomaru's path and spoke in his usual cunning manner, "I will let you go for now." Sesshomaru began to walk away from there but to his surprise, the injured sixth Espada himself arrived there. "My gratitude for reviving this bastard back to life, now I will be able to make him pay for what he did to me," Grimmjow said to Sesshomaru. The Daiyokai observed his injuries and chose not to respond to his words since he didn't seem to be a threat to anyone. On the other hand, Nnoitra tightened his grasp on his weapons and replied to Grimmjow, "and my apologies for delivering a blow which wasn't fatal enough, I will make sure that you are dead this time."

However, before Nnoitra's blade swing could have hurt Grimmjow, Sesshomaru stopped it in the middle by using his energy whip. "What is the meaning of this?" Nnoitra furiously asked Sesshomaru. "He is the sixth Espada and if you manage to kill him then it would be a waste of my time because then I will have to resurrect him as well," Sesshomaru replied to him. "You better not interfere in my issues," Nnoitra responded with anger. "How dare you underestimate me!" Grimmjow also spoke to Sesshomaru while raising his spiritual pressure.

Now Nnoitra quickly freed his weapon from Sesshomaru's energy whip and rushed towards him with the help of his Sonido. Sesshomaru pulled his Bakusaiga out and easily countered all the six blades of Nnoitra by using his demonic speed which amazed him to a great extent. Suddenly Grimmjow shot a moderate level Cero towards Sesshomaru while simultaneously attacking Nnoitra with a powerful sword swing. Sesshomaru easily parried the Cero attack by summoning his demonic energy but lost track of Grimmjow due to dust and smoke while Nnoitra received a mild cut on his chest.

Grimmjow once again swung his sword on Nnoitra but Sesshomaru pushed him away with a powerful swing of his Bakusaiga. On the other hand, before Nnoitra could have reacted, a powerful punch backed by the power of the poison claw technique shoved him several feet away from there. "Hah! You seem to be one tough customer," Grimmjow said while rubbing his fingers on the edge of his sword and then he started to summon a Cero with his bleeding fingers. "Gran Rey Cero," he uttered loudly while shooting an immensely powerful blue colored Cero towards Sesshomaru. The Daiyokai swung his Bakusaiga, releasing a powerful beam of demonic energy that clashed with Gran Rey Cero and eventually deflected it.

The next moment, a grin appeared on Grimmjow's face and then he released his Resurreccion all of a sudden. His release wasn't looking as powerful as it was during his fight against Ichigo while it also seemed to be taking its toll on his injury as well. Now Grimmjow rushed towards Sesshomaru while the later also prepared himself and soon they began to clash their blades and claws with immense power. However, as expected, Grimmjow seemed to be at a clear disadvantage, not only because of the difference in the power of an Espada and a Daiyokai but also because he was already critically injured. Despite all these odds, the sixth Espada loped on Sesshomaru with fierce speed while the Daiyokai dodged him and simultaneously attacked him with his claw instead of Bakusaiga, inflicting moderately serious cuts on his back.

"You… you could have finished me off with a sword swing, but you didn't, why?" Grimmjow asked Sesshomaru while panting on the ground on his knees. "For now, I need all the Espadas alive," Sesshomaru replied. "But why?" he asked in an insisting manner. "For the sake of one of you," Sesshomaru answered while thinking of Harribel. "Which one?" Grimmjow asked further but before the Daiyokai could have answered him, both of them felt the rising spiritual pressure of Nnoitra.

"Prepare to die, both of you!" Nnoitra shouted at both Sesshomaru and Grimmjow with immense anger and the next moment, he started to summon a huge and extremely powerful Cero orb. "Azure Dragon Wave," Sesshomaru uttered while pointing his sword towards Nnoitra and releasing a powerful wave of white demonic energy that generated on his blade in a dragon-like shape. Sesshomaru's energy wave collided with Nnoitra's Cero and pushed it back to him, which eventually hit him with a terrible momentum and turned into a fiery explosion with the eruptions of energy bolts.

Grimmjow realized the clear difference in power between him and Sesshomaru upon witnessing this move. He reverted back in his Base Form and decided not to fight him any further but he was too stubborn to admit that Sesshomaru actually did a favor to him by taking care of Nnoitra.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	42. Chapter 42

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 42: Revival of Espadas II**

* * *

"Azure Dragon Wave," Sesshomaru uttered while pointing his sword towards Nnoitra and releasing a powerful wave of white demonic energy that generated on his blade in a dragon-like shape. Sesshomaru's energy wave collided with Nnoitra's Cero and pushed it back to him, which eventually hit him with a terrible momentum and turned into a fiery explosion with the eruptions of energy bolts.

Grimmjow realized the clear difference in power between him and Sesshomaru upon witnessing this move. He reverted back in his Base Form and decided not to fight him any further but he was too stubborn to admit that Sesshomaru actually did a favor to him by taking care of Nnoitra.

**Meanwhile in the Battle of Fake Karakura Town, World of the Living…**

Ichigo had joined the battle but he stayed behind while the Captains and the Vizards moved to the front lines in order to fight against Aizen. Toshiro initiated the fight upon getting provoked by him while soon enough Kyoraku entered the fray as well. In the meantime, Komamura and Love also attacked Aizen with their respective Zanpakutos. Now Rose grabbed Aizen's sword with his Shikai Kinshara and Lisa attacked him with her spear-shaped Shikai at the same time. But to everyone's surprise, the release of Aizen's powerful spiritual pressure not only deflected all the attacks but also shattered Komamura's sword. The next moment, Aizen sliced Komamura's left forearm with a sword-swing which infuriated him to a great extent but another deep cut at his torso silenced him before he fell down to the ground.

Now Love and Rose rushed towards Aizen but just as Rose swung his Kinshara at him, he grabbed it with his bare hand, pulled Rose closer and put a fatal slash at his chest. Afterward, he constrained Love with the Kinshara and cut him down just like Komamura. In the meantime, Lisa attacked Aizen from behind but his one sword-swing not only sliced her spear in half but also utterly defeated her.

Upon Lisa's elimination, Soi Fon confronted Aizen while using a technique that created thousands of her illusionary images. Now she swiftly approached Aizen with her Suzumebachi, he tried to attack her with his sword but it got stuck in a thick iceberg generated by Toshiro due to which Soi Fon managed to hit him. However, it didn't affect him even a bit and then Katen Kyokotsu penetrated his torso from behind as Kyoraku appeared out of his shadow. Now Toshiro rushed towards him and stabbed his chest from behind under the influence of Shinji's Shikai's inversion illusion. Soon enough it came out to be Hinamori instead of Aizen which shocked everyone while he cut both Iba and Kira down.

Now Toshiro rushed towards Aizen with burning rage but ended up falling victim to a fatal slash from his Kyoka Suigetsu. Soi Fon also shared the same fate while Shinji was shoved back by the protective shield at the back of Aizen's head. The next moment, Kyoraku was cut down by two strong sword swings and then Shinji was eliminated from the battle by Aizen. Now Ichigo rushed towards him but was interrupted by none other but Genryusai Yamamoto himself. The Head Captain appeared before Aizen and activated the Ennetsu Jigoku technique. Aizen pierced Genryusai's chest with his Zanpakuto but he held his arm while the next moment several gigantic pillars of fire surrounded a large area around both of them.

**Las Noches' artificial daylight region, Hueco Mundo…**

In order to find the other Espadas, Sesshomaru was continuously exploring the middle section of the Las Noches. Soon enough he reached the spot where Byakuya had defeated Zommari. The corpse of the Espada was still lying on the ground in bloodied and wrecked condition. Sesshomaru immediately unsheathed his Tensaiga and as the demonic sword started to glow, the minions of the netherworld appeared around the corpse. He wasted no time slashing them away and as he did, Zommari's corpse came back to life.

Within the course of a few seconds, Zommari recalled each and every detail of his battle against Byakuya and it didn't take him too long to recognize his savior, who was none other but Sesshomaru himself. "You… you must be my savior, isn't it? Who are you? I can clearly sense your overwhelming power by your spiritual pressure but you seem foreign to me… neither a Hollow nor a Soul Reaper, are you some kind of God?" Zommari said to Sesshomaru as he got up from the ground in perfectly fine shape. "No, I am a demon," Sesshomaru answered him and the next moment he got busy tracking down the location of the other dead Espadas with the help of Orkos's jewel. "Whoever you are, know that you have done a great favor to me. Now I can fight for my Lord Aizen one more time and teach that egoistic Soul Reaper a fitting lesson," Zommari once again spoke to Sesshomaru while showing his gratitude by bowing down to him. "There is no need for you to fight for Aizen anymore since he had betrayed the Espadas," Sesshomaru replied while focusing on the golden jewel. "OHH! What…? What are you saying? Lord Aizen has betrayed us... b..but then, why have you given me a second life?" Zommari responded with a great surprise and then he asked with immense curiosity. "Not just you but I want to revive all the dead Espadas along with some of the Arrancars. I have already revived Ulquiorra and Nnoitra before you," Sesshomaru replied. "Oh, but why? Please tell me," Zommari insisted. "I am here only because of Tia Harribel, that's all I can tell you for now," the Daiyokai answered him after which the Espada didn't ask anything else.

After sometime when Zommari noticed that Sesshomaru was trying to sense something, he couldn't help but eventually spoke, "if you are trying to locate more of the dead Espadas then allow me to help you with it. Look at that damaged tower on your right, you will find Aaroniero Arruruerie's corpse inside it while Espada 8 Szayel Aporro's dead body should be nearby his underground laboratory which is in the east from here."

All of a sudden, both of them heard a masculine voice, "the body of Espada 8 Szayel Aporro Granz is under my possession and he is not completely dead yet," Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi spoke while coming from behind with a huge cart along with his Lieutenant Nemu. "A Shinigami!" Zommari muttered upon seeing him. "You again! I wonder how you managed to trespass in our time even though I put a blockage on that mysterious well," Kurotsuchi spoke anxiously upon seeing Sesshomaru. "I do have a lot to settle with the Soul Society but I don't have time for that. For now, I want you to either spare that Espada in your possession or kill him right away then hand over his corpse to me before you leave," Sesshomaru replied to him in a serious tone. Kurotsuchi now began to wonder about his intentions. He doubted that if Sesshomaru is secretly under a treaty with the Hollows while simultaneously worrying about the fact that it would not be wise for him to pick a fight against the Daiyokai when Soul Society is already in danger due to Aizen. "If my words are hard for you to understand then my blade is ready to continue the conversation," Sesshomaru said while raising his spiritual pressure because of which Nemu and even Zommari began to have trouble standing close to him. "Hmm… you can have him alive but know that I will catch him again eventually just to see how a beast such as you can cheat death so easily," Kurotsuchi replied in egoistic tone and then he ordered Nemu after which she injected Espada 8 with a liquid to remove the effect of poison from his body.

The moment Szayel Aporro got normal, he shouted at Kurotsuchi, "Bastard! You will pay for what you did to me." Sesshomaru immediately used his energy whip to grab his arm and stop him from battling against Kurotsuchi. "No, Szayel Aporro! You should respect the choice of this man," Zommari said while using his Sonido in order to appear right in front of him. "Why…? What are you trying to say Zommari?" Szayel Aporro responded with slight confusion. "Aizen has betrayed but he is resurrecting the dead Espadas and only because of him that Shinigami has released you from that miserable state," Zommari explained.

"Hmm, I see…" Szayel Aporro responded while calming himself down and then he looked towards Sesshomaru. On the other hand, Mayuri Kurotsuchi said upon walking away from there, "It seems that we will have to do something about this demon otherwise he won't stop interfering in the issues of the Soul Society," Kurotsuchi muttered while narrowing his eyes. "Yes, Mayuri-Sama," Nemu replied in her usual polite and modest manner.

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**To be continued…**


	43. Chapter 43

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 43: Hueco Mundo amidst the Chaos**

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"Why…? What are you trying to say Zommari?" Szayel Aporro responded with slight confusion. "Aizen has betrayed us but he is resurrecting the dead Espadas and only because of him that Shinigami has released you from that miserable state," Zommari explained.

"Hmm, I see…" Szayel Aporro responded while calming himself down and then he looked towards Sesshomaru. On the other hand, Mayuri Kurotsuchi said upon walking away from there, "It seems that we will have to do something about this demon otherwise he won't stop interfering in the issues of the Soul Society," Kurotsuchi muttered while narrowing his eyes. "Yes, Mayuri-Sama," Nemu replied in her usual polite and modest manner.

After Mayuri left from there, Zommari explained everything to Szayel Aporro which Sesshomaru told him. "A demon, that's unbelievable but anyways, I am grateful to you," Szayel Aporro said to Sesshomaru after carefully listening to the words of Zommari. "I must proceed towards that tower," Sesshomaru said as he started to walk away from there soon after their small conversation.

"If you don't mind then we would like to tag along so that we can explain everything to the Noveno Espada and you don't have to waste your time, isn't that right, Szayel Aporro?" Zommari spoke in a humble manner while asking Szayel Aporro. "Sure, I will be accompanying him as well," Espada 8 uttered while agreeing with Zommari. "Very well," Sesshomaru replied to them and then he didn't waste any moment in flying towards that broken tower while both Zommari and Szayel Aporro followed him.

Soon enough they reached inside the tower and it didn't take them long to find both the heads of Noveno Espada buried in the rubble. Zommari and Szayel Aporro took those heads out of the rubble and placed them on a slightly elevated surface while Sesshomaru immediately revived them back from the dead. While Aaroniero Arruruerie was still in the middle of the process of coming back to his senses, Sesshomaru left from there, leaving the explanation part to both Zommari and Szayel Aporro.

After both of them told everything to the Noveno Espada, Szayel Aporro began to walk away from there. "Wait, Szayel Aporro, where do you think you are going?" Zommari asked him. "You haven't realized it, do you? We are free now and the throne of Hueco Mundo is empty," Szayel Aporro replied with a mysterious smile on his lips. "What do you mean?" Aaroniero Arruruerie asked with slight confusion. "I am going to find Nnoitra, we need to take control of the Hueco Mundo before a new ruler arises," Szayel Aporro answered. "I think you are right," Noveno Espada muttered while agreeing with Szayel Aporro. "Later on, I shall research on that demon's spiritual pressure," Szayel Aporro muttered with a cunning grin. "Hmm… I see," Zommari responded upon noticing the cunning intentions from the face of Octava Espada.

**Meanwhile in the Battle of Fake Karakura town, World of the Living…**

The moment Genryusai Yamamoto was about to burn Aizen along with himself and all the Captains and Lieutenants who were present there, Wonderweiss appeared right behind him. Suddenly he grabbed Ryujin Jakka's blade and extinguished its flames in no time before shoving Genryusai hard in the ground. The old Shinigami landed on the ground on his feet and then a fierce battle broke out between the two in which Genryusai Yamamoto successfully shattered Wonderweiss's body with his immensely powerful punches.

When the Head Captain approached Aizen, he reminded him about Wonderweiss storing all the absorbed flames inside his broken head which can explode at any moment. Now Just as Genryusai noticed the swelling and glowing in the broken head of Wonderweiss, he rushed to neutralize the danger. He managed to control the fiery blast with his body and spiritual pressure but ended up getting injured and scorched by his own flames. Aizen approached him while he was crawling on the ground but the moment he walked closer to him, Genryusai grabbed his leg with his scorched arm and used Hado 96, Itto Kaso that cost the Head Captain his arm. As a result, it caused a brief shockwave followed by a massive pillar of red fire erupting from the ground in the shape of a katana's tip. The blast from the pillar was so forceful that it completely obliterated all buildings within its vicinity while engulfing Aizen into its range.

**Las Noches, an artificial daylight region, nearby the place where Yammy was battling against Byakuya and Kenpachi, Hueco Mundo…**

Yammy was battling against both Byakuya and Kenpachi in his Segunda Etapa. He was proving to be utterly overwhelming in the battle due to his raw spiritual power and colossal size. Upon arriving significantly close to the place of the battle, Sesshomaru immediately entered at the base of the broken tower. It didn't take him long to find the frozen pieces of the body of Rudbornn scattered on the floor with few of them buried under the rubble. Sesshomaru immediately pulled his Tensaiga out of its sheath and swung it around, destroying each and every minion of the Netherworld which was lingering around the body parts of Rudbornn Chelute. The moment, Sesshomaru was about to walk out of that broken tower, he heard Rudbornn's voice, "I..I was dead b..but now… it feels like I am dissected… yet alive, how?"

"Gather your body parts and leave, there is no need for you to participate in the battle anymore," Sesshomaru responded to Rudbornn's voice before he swiftly flew towards Yammy who was in the middle of a fierce battle against Byakuya and Kenpachi.

Suddenly all three of them felt the powerful spiritual pressure of Sesshomaru, as he reached close to them. "Sesshomaru!" Byakuya whispered with surprise. "Haha, long time no see… demon," Kenpachi said as he grinned towards Sesshomaru in the usually cunning manner. "This insect seems powerful," Yammy muttered while observing Sesshomaru.

Now the Daiyokai flew higher and stood in the midair, right in front of Yammy's face. "Aizen has betrayed the Espadas," Sesshomaru said to Yammy. "So, what?" Yammy responded. "Stop this battle, right now…" the Daiyokai replied in an extremely serious tone. "As you say, insect!" Yammy responded before opening his gigantic mouth in order to summon a powerful Cero.

"Bakusaiga!" Sesshomaru muttered while unsheathing his sword as he shot a huge orb of demonic energy through a quick swing of his blade. The orb of demonic energy hit the destructive energy of Cero that was summoned by Yammy and caused a fiery explosion inside his mouth. However, Sesshomaru left surprised to witness that the explosion had hardly slowed Yammy down as he was once again summoning a powerful Cero after coughing out the smoke and flames.

"Hah! It seems that he is too powerful even for you," Kenpachi taunted Sesshomaru. "Ever since he has transformed further from his previous gigantic form his power is exceeding our anticipation," Byakuya spoke as well. "Enough of your mumbling you weaklings, now DIE!" Yammy roared furiously and the next moment, he shot an immensely powerful Cero beam of colossal size towards Sesshomaru. "Azure Dragon Wave!" the Daiyokai muttered upon unleashing one of his signature moves. The multiple intense beams of demonic energy hit Yammy's huge Cero beam and stopped its advance in the middle while slowly pushing it backward. However, neither Sesshomaru's energy beam was able to completely destroy Yammy's Cero nor Yammy was able to deflect Azure Dragon Wave despite his best efforts.

"That demon is just going to snatch my prey," Kenpachi muttered while swiftly rushing towards Yammy's head. Upon reaching close to the neck of the gigantic Espada, Kenpachi unleashed a ferocious amount of spiritual pressure to back his upcoming sword swing. But before his sword-swing could have touched Yammy's neck, an unbelievably powerful arc of purplish energy and black smoky aura collided with his Zanpakuto with deadly speed. In the blink of an eye, Zaraki hit the ground with hard and fell down to the lowermost portion of the Last Noches.

On the other hand, before Sesshomaru could have understood anything the energy flow at the clashing point of Azure Dragon Wave and Yammy's Cero got disturbed and turned into an explosion that strangely engulfed Sesshomaru in its range. Sesshomaru barely managed to regain his posture before landing on the ground after receiving some minor injuries from that explosion of destructive energy.

"It seems we will have to combine our power in order to put an end to him," Byakuya said to Sesshomaru while standing beside him. "No, it's not him… I sensed another presence right before that explosion," Sesshomaru said while staring at the smoke cloud of that explosion. "What do you mean?" Byakuya asked with suspicion. Now before Sesshomaru could have answered him, the smoke cloud in the sky dispersed in the air, revealing a tall and masculine bizarre being that seemed to be like a fearsome demonic warrior.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	44. Chapter 44

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 44: Abduction of Espadas I**

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Sesshomaru barely managed to regain his posture before landing on the ground after receiving some minor injuries from that explosion of destructive energy.

"It seems we will have to combine our powers in order to put an end to him," Byakuya said to Sesshomaru while standing beside him. "No, it's not him… I sensed another presence right before that explosion," Sesshomaru said while staring at the smoke cloud of that explosion. "What do you mean?" Byakuya asked with suspicion. Now before Sesshomaru could have answered him, the smoke cloud in the sky dispersed in the air, revealing a tall and masculine bizarre being that seemed to be like a fearsome demonic warrior.

However, neither Sesshomaru nor Byakuya got sufficient time to observe the details of the form of that warrior as the next moment, he started to punch Yammy's gigantic torso with immense speed and power. He was rapidly moving to and fro in order to pummel his belly repeatedly while every single punch was generating shockwaves at the moment of impact. Yammy, on the other hand, was shocked as well as helpless in front of this sudden assault. With each punch, his eyes were getting popped out while he was constantly vomiting blood from his mouth. In no time, Yammy fell down on his fours while panting heavily and vomited even more blood. His muscles and rib cage seemed to be severely damaged and he was constantly writhing with pain.

Now that warrior landed on the ground and turned his attention towards Byakuya and Sesshomaru. He was a tall but lean humanoid with greyish-green and scaly skin. Strips of white and purple cloth were wrapped all over his torso and on top of which he was wearing a metal armor on his right shoulder along with a metal helmet. He seemed to be a faceless creature as there was nothing seemed to be there inside his helmet except darkness. He seemed to have only one eye in the form of a pale glow that was shining through the darkness of his helmet right in the middle of the location of the eyes. He was also wearing bands on his forearms while his hands and feet had demon-like claws.

Both of them were confused about the intentions of this new warrior but they were highly alert since they were clearly able to sense his immensely powerful spiritual pressure. "Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked him. "And what is the meaning of interfering in our fight?" Byakuya asked as well. "I am… Dodomeki… and I am here to collect the Espadas," he answered in a deep demonic voice. "You are a demon too, aren't you?" Sesshomaru asked while narrowing his eyes. "Hah… don't try to count me among the likes of you," Dodomeki responded while displaying slight annoyance through his expressions. "What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked curiously but with suspicion.

Now instead of answering by words, Dodomeki spread his arms and summoned some of his demonic energy. The next moment, an immense eruption of pinkish-red energy started to engulf everything in a large area. Both Sesshomaru and Byakuya immediately fell back to a safe distance to avoid any risk. Soon enough they noticed that the energy was slowly getting dissipated only after disturbing the very space and time. It seemed as if the energy had opened another dimension within a limited space. The effect seemed to be perfect around Dodomeki and slowly decreasing in the surroundings with the distance. The environment inside it seemed to be demonic and terrifying with dark clouds stagnant in the sky and a bizarre reddish light scattered everywhere. There were several stone structures inside that dimension and most of them were decorated with snake figures. The ground and the walls were ruptured at some places and lava was flowing out of them as if the dimension was full of active volcanoes.

Now Dodomeki's arms elongated like elastic and he said after he grabbed Yammy's ear with them, "I am a demon of hell." Afterward, he pulled himself closer to Yammy and broke the Hollow-Mask remnant at his jaw with a powerful knee attack backed by his demonic energy. A portion of Yammy's Hollow-Mask remnant burst open and a stream of blood erupted out of it. Eventually, Yammy stopped moving and the hellish dimension slowly started to disappear along with him and Dodomeki. "Wait, aren't you going to take the other Espadas with you?" Byakuya asked abruptly. "The other two will take care of them," Dodomeki replied before the dimension completely disappeared, leaving completely normal surroundings of the Hueco Mundo.

"So, two more of them are here," Sesshomaru mumbled. "Do you know them?" Byakuya asked him. "No, never confronted one such before," the Daiyokai answered confusingly. "Hmm…" Byakuya responded and then both of them began to wonder about those demons. "You will be heading towards World of the Living, isn't it?" Sesshomaru asked him after a slight break. "Yes… and there are several things I wanted to discuss with you but it's not the time," Byakuya replied. "Yes, even I have got some important business to take care of," Sesshomaru spoke and then he left to the uppermost portion of the Hueco Mundo.

**Not so far away from there…**

Zommari, Szayel Aporro, and Aaroniero Arruruerie had reached the place where both Nnoitra and Grimmjow were taking rest after their heated face off against each other and then with Sesshomaru. Though both of them were injured and exhausted due to the recent battle yet they seemed to be ready to fight against one another. Nnoitra was especially eager to cross swords with Grimmjow and eventually kill him but before they could have clashed with each other, the other three Espadas stopped them.

Aaroniero Arruruerie grabbed Grimmjow while Szayel Aporro grabbed Nnoitra, on the other hand, Zommari stood right between them in order to stop their clash. "Control yourself Grimmjow. Yes, don't act like a fool," Aaroniero and Arruruerie said told him. "Listen Nnoitra, there are more important things than fighting against him," Szayel Aporro spoke in order to calm him down. "We need to work together if we want to survive long enough, fighting amongst ourselves won't take us anywhere," Zommari muttered in a strict tone to both Nnoitra and Grimmjow.

Suddenly, all of them got shook by the presence of an immensely powerful spiritual pressure and the next moment, a comparatively large humanoid creature with a demonic boar-like face appeared in the sky. As he landed on the ground, an explosion of demonic energy took place which generated shockwaves powerful enough to shove all of them away.

When the Espadas returned to their senses, they witnessed that a big humanoid monster was standing only at a distance of a few meters away from them. He was around 12 feet tall while his head was exactly similar to that of a boar with two unusually large curved teeth protruding either side of his mouth, pointing upwards. His face was covered with a leather mask and the rest of his body had a bluish hue with blue curved lines at some selective parts. He was wearing a short sleeveless jacket made up of animal skin and fur while the ribs and spines of some smaller demons were serving as his forearm bands. The portion below his waist was also covered by similar animal skin and fur along with with leather knee-length boots, revealing the large ox-like nails of his feet while a thick iron chain was wrapped around his waist in the form of a belt. He was holding a giant elongated piece of stone in his right hand which was quite broader from the outer end while an iron chain and a piece of animal skin were wrapped around its narrower end, giving it an appearance like that of a club of stone-age.

"One… two… three… and four… oh, and that one, five," that demon murmured in a heavy monstrous voice while pointing towards the Arrancars as he scratched his skull with the other hand. "Who the hell are you?" Nnoitra asked him in a frustrating manner. "I am Gyuki, an Infernal Demon from the army of Lord… wait, there is no need to tell you anything, you all are just my prey, Ha Ha Ha…" Gyuki replied to him but refused to reveal further details.

"Infernal demon?... he seems far more powerful than that silver-haired demon moreover, his demonic energy feels as if it is much purer than that of him… what actually are they?" Grimmjow mumbled to himself while wondering about Sesshomaru and Gyuki. "Damn! He seemed nothing like that former demon," Aaroniero muttered, "we are in real trouble this time," Arruruerie added. "Nnoitra! Let me engage him in a battle, since I am the only one here with the ability to heal and almost resurrect myself," Szayel Aporro said to Nnoitra as he walked towards Gyuki in order to face him alone.

* * *

**To be continued…**

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_**Author's Note:**_

_Hello my dear readers, hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am writing this particular Author's Note to inform you guys that the new characters i.e. "Dodomeki" and "Gyuki" which I have introduced in this chapter are not going to have their original plot (from Warriors Orochi 4: Ultimate) but also not very different though, there were only minor modifications. According to my story, both of them are the demons of hell but the henchmen of Orochi whom I will be introducing in future chapters as another demon of hell. If you have any additional question or doubt then please feel free to ask it through your reviews or comments, or PM, I will be looking forward to your comments,_

_Take care…_


	45. Chapter 45

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 45: Abduction of Espadas II**

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"Infernal demon?... he seems far more powerful than that silver-haired demon moreover, his demonic energy feels as if it is much purer than that of him… what actually are they?" Grimmjow mumbled to himself while wondering about Sesshomaru and Gyuki. "Damn! He seemed nothing like that former demon," Aaroniero muttered, "we are in real trouble this time," Arruruerie added. "Nnoitra! Let me engage him in a battle, since I am the only one here with the ability to heal and almost resurrect myself," Szayel Aporro said to Nnoitra as he walked towards Gyuki in order to face him alone.

"Hahaha, I don't think you know what you're up against," Gyuki muttered while stepping ahead.

"Sip, Fornicaras!" Szayel Aporro muttered in order to release his Resurreccion and then he slowly swallowed his Zanpakuto. Now Szayel Aporro's body swelled to enormous proportions while the release of spirit energy covered his immediate vicinity in a fine mist but before he could have completed his release, Gyuki dropped his stone-club on the ground and grabbed him with his huge hands.

The next moment, Gyuki began to pump his demonic energy inside Szayel Aporro's body while tightly squeezing him between his huge palms. Gyuki's strong grip was badly pressurizing Octava Espada's swollen body while his demonic energy was slowly bombarding him from inside out. As a result, Szayel Aporro's release got suspended in the middle while he was continuously screaming in pain. Suddenly, Gyuki slammed him on the ground with immense force and with that slam, Szayel Aporro's screams turned into silence. "One down… five left," Gyuki murmured in his heavy and monstrous voice while moving towards the other Espadas.

On the other hand, all the Espadas were utterly terrified upon witnessing Gyuki's power in the form of Szayel Aporro's wrecked state. All of them immediately decided to combine their power and face this infernal monster together as a team. Nnoitra and Zommari charged their respective spiritual pressures in order to get the most out of their Resurreccion form while Grimmjow and Aaroniero Arruruerie didn't waste even a single second and decided to release their Resurreccion as well. "Grind, Pantera!" Grimmjow roared as he unleashed his Resurreccion form. "Devour, Glotoneria!" Aaroniero Arruruerie muttered while releasing his Resurreccion.

Meanwhile, Gyuki was continuously building up his demonic energy and expanding his demonic aura in order to inflict more damage on the Espadas. His body had started to emit the flames of his demonic energy as he prepared for his next attack. Suddenly, he started to rush towards the Espadas like a mad bull in order to collide with them. Upon seeing that the infernal monster was approaching them, Nnoitra and Grimmjow immediately moved out of his way while Zommari also backed off to a safe distance. However, Aaroniero Arruruerie couldn't escape the danger in time as he got spiritually arrested by Gyuki's powerful spiritual pressure. Eventually, the infernal brute collided with the Espada's lower body with unbelievably great momentum. Since Aaroniero Arruruerie's lower half body was merely a giant mass of flesh composed of the collection of absorbed Hollows, it couldn't stand Gyuki's powerful strike and the next moment, Noveno Espada's entire body got burst like a balloon. "Damn! It seems I used too much force this time." Gyuki muttered upon witnessing the consequences of his powerful attack in the form of the blood and pieces of flesh of Aaroniero Arruruerie splattered all over the ground.

"Nnoitra… Grimmjow… we have to combine our powers otherwise we will not survive this battle," Zommari said to both of them upon getting frightened by Gyuki's strength. "Grrr… I don't want to work with him but… it seems that I have no other choice," Nnoitra muttered while grinding his teeth frustratingly. "Hah! Don't worry, Nnoitra… I will free you from this frustration by killing you soon after this battle," Grimmjow spoke to him in a cunning manner while keeping his focus on Gyuki. "My Amor technique will not work against a demon of hell such as him," Zommari informed both of them. "Basically, none of our technique would be very much effective against him," Nnoitra muttered in a serious tone. After a pause when Gyuki arrived significantly close to them, Grimmjow said while raising his spiritual pressure, "we will attack him by combining our powerful Cero."

"Hmm," Zommari responded and then he also started to raise his spiritual pressure. "Don't try to be bossy in my presence, Grimmjow…" Nnoitra told him angrily but the next moment he also raised his spiritual pressure to a great extent and summoned an immensely powerful orb of Cero just like them. "It's not the time to fight against ourselves," Zommari spoke while addressing both of them.

Now all three of them shot their respective orb of build-up Cero energy in the form of immensely powerful Cero beams which got combined on the way, increasing the destructive capability threefold. Soon enough the resultant wave of three Cero beams hit Gyuki with a largely impactful force that engulfed a huge area around him in an immensely powerful explosion. The surroundings got filled with smoke and dust clouds while the flames started to burn all around the area where Gyuki fell down on the ground after getting hit.

After a few moments, Gyuki's heavy and demonic voice echoed, "Wow! Now that was a good attack for weaklings such as you." Nnoitra, Grimmjow, and Zommari were shocked to listen to his voice while the site of that monster as he was coming out of the flame unscarred, shocked them even more.

Now all three of them rushed towards Gyuki in the desperation of eliminating the threat. Nnoitra jumped towards him with a great speed in order to slash him with his spears but a powerful blow from that demon's stone-club tossed him high in the air. On the other hand, Grimmjow approached him from the left with the help of his Sonido but Gyuki grabbed his throat and started to crush him with the sheer might.

"I have to save Grimmjow at any cost, without him it would be harder for us to defeat this monster," Zommari muttered and the next moment he slowly started to lose his Resurreccion form. "My ultimate technique is the only thing I have got which can force him to leave Grimmjow," Zommari mumbled upon reverting back to his Basic form while his Zanpakuto was levitating right in front of him. The blade of his sword was bent from three points, making a diamond shape. Now Zommari started to concentrate all of his spirit energy on his Zanpakuto and the next moment an immensely powerful orb of Cero started to form at the heart of that diamond shape. Zommari's entire being was overflowing with immense spiritual pressure and he didn't waste even a single moment in attacking Gyuki with a powerful beam of Cero.

As expected, the Cero attack was indeed powerful enough to free Grimmjow from Gyuki's grasp. However, it seemed that the damage was done as Grimmjow was helplessly gasping upon getting freed.

Now Gyuki turned his attention towards Zommari and immediately arrested him using his superior demonic energy. "I have to do something… I..I can't lose this life so soon," Zommari murmured while concentrating his entire spirit energy into his Zanpakuto in order to protect himself. "It seems Arrancars are nuts, they are trying to face me regardless of my superior power," Gyuki approached Zommari while mumbling to himself. The Septima Espada poured even the last ounce of his spirit energy in order to generate a powerful burst of Cero to shove Gyuki away from him while the demonic monster raised his spiritual pressure and then pumped his demonic energy in his stone-club before smashing it's an uppermost edge against the ground using all of his might. "Terra Fury!" Gyuki roared as a terrible shockwave of destructive energy rushed towards Zommari fiercely.

The shockwave collided with the sudden burst of Zommari's overall spiritual power which was getting amplified and directed with the help of his Zanpakuto. To Gyuki's surprise, his shockwave seemed to be struggling against the powerful energy burst of the Septima Espada as both the attacks were trying to deflect each other. However, this clash of energies didn't last much longer as soon enough another similar attack from Gyuki, strengthened the previously shot shockwave. The next moment, Terra Fury shockwave deflected the entire burst of Zommari's energy and hit him before resulting in an immense explosion that shoved the Espada far away from there. Now he was lying down on the ground in an extremely miserable condition because of the heavy loss of spirit and his Zanpakuto as well as because of all the deep injuries which he had sustained after the blast. "Fool! Now that he had lost his Zanpakuto… he is of no use to me," Gyuki spoke while walking towards Nnoitra who was trying to get up on his feet.

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**To be continued…**


	46. Chapter 46

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 46: Abduction of Espadas III**

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However, this clash of energies didn't last much longer as soon enough another similar attack from Gyuki, strengthened the previously shot shockwave. The next moment, Terra Fury shockwave deflected the entire burst of Zommari's energy and hit him before resulting in an immense explosion that shoved the Espada far away from there. Now he was lying down on the ground in an extremely miserable condition because of the heavy loss of spirit and his Zanpakuto as well as because of all the deep injuries which he had sustained after the blast. "Fool! Now that he had lost his Zanpakuto… he is of no use to me," Gyuki spoke while walking towards Nnoitra who was trying to get up on his feet.

Upon hearing Gyuki's words, Nnoitra started to wonder about his intentions. He wondered if Gyuki's motives could be a ray of hope for him. "Wait! What do you actually want from us? Tell me, demon…" Nnoitra abruptly asked him. "What are you up to, Nnoitra? Can't you see he is beating our kind to a pulp?" Grimmjow shouted at him. "Don't butt in you fool," the taller multi-armed Espada shouted back at him. "Huh! My Lord simply wants to recruit Espadas in his army. I think he is also planning to grant them more power, I am afraid you newcomers might outclass even us the Infernal Demons in terms of power," Gyuki answered him. "Alright then, count me in, you monster," Nnoitra told him while grinning in a cunning manner. "You won't fight to stay here?" Gyuki asked with confusion. "No, just take me to your Lord, whoever the fuck he is… and tell him to make me stronger," Nnoitra responded while walking towards Gyuki. Meanwhile, Grimmjow was observing both of them, utterly puzzled by Nnoitra's intentions. "Haha but he must come with us as well," Gyuki responded while pointing towards Grimmjow upon getting pleased by Nnoitra's decision.

"Don't worry, he will be coming with us as well," Nnoitra replied while looking towards Grimmjow. "What the hell are you saying, Nnoitra? I am not going anywhere," Grimmjow angrily spoke to him, clarifying his stand. "You will come along… either by your own will or by force," Nnoitra responded.

Grimmjow was already furious on Nnoitra while his words simply pushed his anger to the brink. Now the Sexta Espada rushed towards him in order to tear his body apart with his claws but Nnoitra used his multiple blades to engage him in a weapon deadlock. "Now, Gyuki!" Nnoitra spoke loudly and the next moment Gyuki rushed towards Grimmjow upon getting the signal. "You bastard!" Grimmjow muttered while pointing his right palm towards Gyuki in order to attack him with a powerful Cero. But before Sexta Espada could have shot the Cero beam, Gyuki grabbed his hand and twisted his entire arm which resulted in the multiple fractures. Grimmjow screamed out of pain while Nnoitra immediately broke the weapon deadlock and stood away from him.

Now Gyuki freed his arm but the next moment he began to shower his powerful punches on him with the immense speed. Grimmjow immediately fell down on the ground but Gyuki didn't stop until he noticed that the Espada has stopped moving. "He sure is tough," the monstrous infernal demon murmured while lifting the Sexta Espada from his hairs after he fell unconscious.

Afterward, Gyuki put him on his right shoulder while Nnoitra lifted Szayel Aporro from the ground in order to carry him on his shoulder while mumbling, "You sacrificed in vain my friend." When both of them started to walk away from there Gyuki murmured upon witnessing Aaroniero Arruruerie's glass capsule lying on the ground, "Hmm… he is still alive."

"No, don't kill us," Aaroniero spoke. "How did you manage to survive? I thought I burst your entire body," Gyuki asked curiously. "We detached ourselves from our flesh at the right moment," Arruruerie answered. "You are weak but your survival skills might be useful, my Lord will decide the best," Gyuki replied in a serious tone before he picked the Aaroniero Arruruerie's glass capsule from the ground.

"You will leave Septima Espada behind?" Nnoitra asked Gyuki while pointing towards Zommari who was lying on the ground in the wrecked state. "Yes, he has lost his Zanpakuto, now he is of no use," Gyuki answered and then he opened a portal to another dimension which was quite similar to the one which Dodomeki opened. The next moment, both Gyuki and Nnoitra disappeared with that portal along with all other Espadas leaving only critically injured Zommari behind.

**The white desert, the uppermost section of the Hueco Mundo…**

Orihime was almost done with the healing of Uryu Ishida and now she was eager to have a word with Ulquiorra while Ishida was still suspicious of his intentions. She slowly walked towards the 4th Espada and stood close to him. "Why did you ask me to stay here?" Ulquiorra asked her in a serious tone. "I..I thought you will protect me if someone attacks me while I was healing Ishida-kun," she replied with slight hesitation while staring back into his eyes. "How did you…" Ulquiorra spoke but couldn't complete his line due to an interruption by her. "I am glad to see you again… Ulquiorra," she spoke in slow voice while interrupting him. "Hmm…" speechless by her words, he responded while wondering about her thoughts.

Suddenly all three of them witnessed Sesshomaru who was swiftly flying towards the portal in order to return to the Urahara's shop. "Hey, wait," Ishida spoke loudly in order to draw Sesshomaru's attention. "I just want to know, whose side are you on?" Uryu asked him but even though he stopped upon his call, he didn't answer. "I don't know who are you but I just want to thank you for reviving Ulquiorra," Orihime said in an innocent tone while bowing down to Sesshomaru with a smile. Ulquiorra was both shocked and confused after listening to her words. He was puzzled by the question that why she was so glad to have him back despite the way he treated her so far.

"That portal is leading to…?" Orihime spoke after a pause. "Urahara's shop," Sesshomaru finally replied. "What?" Uryu responded with a great shock. "Do you know Urahara-san?" Orihime asked him with wonderment. "He is an old friend of mine," the Daiyokai replied. "Well, we are in the same team then, let us come with you as well," Uryu spoke with relief. "Hmm…" Sesshomaru responded. Orihime grabbed Ulquiorra's hand and said after taking a step ahead, "come with us, please." Once again Ulquiorra found himself speechless in front of her, he was feeling the grip of her soft hand around his and eventually, he responded, "sure."

**Meanwhile in the Battle of fake Karakura town, World of the Living…**

Soon enough Aizen came out of that giant blade-shaped structure of red fire with some bruises on his body but before he could have thought of anything else Ichigo attacked him with his Getsuga Tensho wave and inflicted a significantly deep cut on his left shoulder. Afterward, he tried to hit him with the same technique again but after a few attempts he ended up in a weapon deadlock with him. The increasing influence of Hogyoku's energy on Aizen's body started to get visible. Violet lines appeared all around his injury on his shoulder in a veiny pattern. Aizen explained it as Hogyoku's attempt of saving its master and then he told Ichigo about how he has planned his life right from his birth which reminded Ichigo of each and everything that had occurred in his life till date. Now, the moment Ichigo was about to lose complete hope of victory, Isshin interrupted them while arriving there in his Soul Reaper form, indirectly exposing the truth to Ichigo about his in-born Shinigami powers. Afterward, Ichigo immediately came out of his confusion and stood again Gin while Isshin began to battle against Aizen.

The time was slipping from everyone's hand quickly as the battles between Aizen and Isshin as well as Ichigo and Gin were getting fiercer with each moment. At one point, Isshin noticed that Aizen's speed had gotten slower and he couldn't help but ask him abruptly, "are you already at your limit, Aizen?" He smiled at Isshin's sharp observation and then answered, "Indeed I am at my limit, Isshin… but my limit as a Soul Reaper."

The violet cross in the middle of Aizen's chest became slightly bigger and Hogyoku began to radiate more violet light all around it. Soon enough his transformation started, the Hollow-mask remnants-like white tentacles emerged from the Hogyoku and slowly began to cover Aizen's body. However, everyone got shocked upon witnessing Urahara's attack out of nowhere that halted Aizen's transformation in the middle. "So you have come… Urahara Kisuke," Aizen spoke as he turned around and saw Urahara along with Yoruichi Shihoin.

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**To be continued…**


	47. Chapter 47

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 47: United**

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He smiled at Isshin's sharp observation and then answered, "Indeed I am at my limit, Isshin… but my limit as a Soul Reaper."

The violet cross in the middle of Aizen's chest became slightly bigger and Hogyoku began to radiate more violet light all around it. Soon enough his transformation started, the Hollow-mask remnants-like white tentacles emerged from the Hogyoku and slowly began to cover Aizen's body. However, everyone got shocked upon witnessing Urahara's attack out of nowhere that halted Aizen's transformation in the middle. "So you have come… Urahara Kisuke," Aizen spoke as he turned around and saw Urahara along with Yoruichi Shihoin.

**The Urahara Shop, World of the Living…**

Tessai was extremely busy in the panel room as he was monitoring not only the Battle of Fake Karakura Town but also Harribel's condition. On the other hand, Jinta was guarding the main gates of the shop while Ururu had joined him a few moments back after noticing a significant improvement in Harribel's condition. Suddenly all of them got utterly shocked upon sensing a powerful spiritual pressure from the secret training ground which was right beneath the shop. Tessai immediately turned the surveillance mode from Harribel's room to the secret training ground while both Ururu and Jinta rushed there with their respective weapons.

In the secret training ground, a huge Garganta had appeared on the devices of portal arrangements. At first, Sesshomaru came out of it following whom both Uryu and Orihime and at last Ulquiorra appeared out of it in his Segunda Etapa form. Both Ururu and Jinta were shocked to see Ulquiorra along with them. Sesshomaru simply walked past them but they stopped Uryu and began to ask him anxiously in a low voice about the reason behind the arrival of the Fourth Espada. Orihime heard them whispering about Ulquiorra and she bent down a bit upon reaching close to them, she smiled and said in a soft tone, "don't worry, he is in our team now." Ulquiorra didn't react to the situation though he was feeling slightly awkward since Orihime was still holding his hand in a firm grip.

_**Suggested Music: "Welcome to Persia" **__from game__** Prince of Persia: Sands of Time**_

On the other hand, the sound of Sesshomaru's footsteps was echoing in the room where Harribel was taking rest. She was already feeling a strong urge to see him upon sensing his spiritual pressure while the sound of his approaching footsteps had increased her heartbeats. He stopped for a moment and looked at her before he slowly resumed walking inside the room while she immediately got up from her bed upon getting mesmerized to see him. After a few moments, Sesshomaru broke the silence by asking "Are you alright?" Harribel remained silent for a bit longer but a slight smile appeared on her lips before she replied in a soft tone, "yes, I am… now."

"Hmm…" He responded while carefully looking towards her belly and then her shoulder. It seemed that both of her critical injuries were almost healed by now but before he could have said anything, Harribel spoke to him in a sad and extremely serious tone, "I want to say something to you, Lord Sesshomaru." He looked towards her while wondering what made her so serious all of a sudden. "Forgive me… for misbehaving with you all this time, for saying all those things to you and for..I have never imagined that I would do something like that to you." She spoke in a low voice while tilting her head down with the guilt upon remembering the time when she slapped him. "I don't know if I am even worthy of apologizing to you or not," she added after a pause. "Your memories were being manipulated so it's not your mistake… don't blame yourself," Sesshomaru replied in his usual tone. "I just don't want to be a burden to you anymore," she spoke further. "You are simply overthinking," he replied in a low voice before he looked towards her face. Now she slowly lifted her face to look into his eyes while none of the two seemed to be aware of the fact that how close they were standing to each other.

However, the next moment, both Sesshomaru and Harribel snapped out of their trance when they listened to Orihime's voice, "well amm… he is right, if you don't mind me interrupting… you shouldn't feel guilty when he cares about you so much." They immediately stepped back and stood at an appropriate distance away from each other while slightly blushing upon realizing that Jinta, Ururu, Uryu, and Ulquiorra were also watching them along with Orihime, making the situation even more awkward than it already was. Uryu whispered to Orihime, "Inoue-san, I don't think, interrupting them like this was a good idea." Orihime smiled in a silly manner upon his words and then she said to both Sesshomaru and Harribel while bowing down, "we are sorry if we disturbed you guys… please continue, I will just close the door." Now it startled both of them a bit and Harribel immediately responded with red cheeks, "No, no… there's no need, we weren't doing anything," She looked towards Sesshomaru immediately afterward and it didn't take her long to realize by his expressions that her line was a bit misplaced. "She meant we weren't discussing anything very important," Sesshomaru said to Orihime and others, quickly covering up what Harribel said. "Ah… yes, we understood," Uryu replied while pushing his spectacles up in order neutralize the situation.

Now everyone left and sat down in the guest room to discuss the strategy against Aizen with Tessai but Ulquiorra was still standing in front of the room. "What is it, Ulquiorra?" She asked him. "I want to have a word with you… in private," he replied in his usual emotionless and serious tone. "Hmm… I will be waiting outside the shop," Sesshomaru said as he walked away. "I will be there soon, Lord Sesshomaru," she replied.

After Sesshomaru left, Ulquiorra entered the room and said to her, "Lord… Sesshomaru, you say." She responded, "Yes, what about it?" He asked, "Have you betrayed Lord Aizen and joined his army now?" Harribel narrowed her eyes on him before she answered, "Either you don't know anything Ulquiorra or you simply do not want to accept the truth." Ulquiorra responded with slight confusion, "What do you mean, Tia Harribel?" She looked away from him for a moment and spoke in an extremely serious tone, "I regret being a part of Aizen's army and you should as well since he is the one who attacked me in the end when both Stark and Barragan died in the battle. Regardless of our loyalty and dedication, we were merely objects for him… objects to be used and then to be eliminated."

"Hmm… he betrayed us like this… Aizen!" Ulquiorra mumbled to himself as he was shocked as well as angry which he was trying to suppress. Harribel understood how he was feeling when he uttered Aizen's name without the title of Lord. However, it didn't take him long to come back to his senses and then he asked her, "Why did your Lord resurrect me then?"

"Oh, are you trying to say you were dead?" Harribel asked with a shock. "Yes, all the Espadas in the Hueco Mundo were dead when he came there and resurrected all of us," he replied. "I see, so that's what he has to do in order to cure me," she uttered to herself in a low voice after listening to the words of Cuatro Espada. "So, he revived me and the others because of you?" Ulquiorra asked. "Yes," she replied in a slightly sad manner.

"Did you join his army when you met him years back or have you joined it now?" Ulquiorra asked her again. "No, it's not like I have joined his army… I don't even know anything about his kingdom," She answered. "I don't understand, if you are not his subject then why do you refer him as 'Lord'?" He asked with slight confusion. She felt a bit uneasy and turned around before she answered him, "I used to refer Aizen as Lord because we were working under him… but it's different with Lord Sesshomaru."

"Yes, I can see that… the way he is working for you," Ulquiorra spoke which made Harribel a bit more uneasy than she already was. "Besides it seems you have acquired a new and more powerful form than Resurreccion," She spoke in order to distract him from the topic. "Yes, even he hasn't seen this form of mine," He replied while referring to Aizen. "Hmm… so, what will you do now, Ulquiorra?" She asked. "I think the most sensible thing for me to do would be, to follow the one who has given me this second chance." He replied to her before walking out of the room.

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**To be continued…**


	48. Chapter 48

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 48: Revival of Espadas III**

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"Yes, I can see that… the way he is working for you," Ulquiorra spoke which made Harribel a bit more uneasy than she already was. "Besides it seems you have acquired a new and more powerful form than Resurreccion," She spoke in order to distract him from the topic. "Yes, even he hasn't seen this form of mine," He replied while referring to Aizen. "Hmm… so, what will you do now, Ulquiorra?" She asked. "I think the most sensible thing for me to do would be, to follow the one who has given me this second chance." He replied to her before walking out of the room.

**Meanwhile, in the Battle of Fake Karakura Town…**

As soon as Kisuke Urahara appeared there, Aizen rushed towards him in order to finish him off by a powerful sword swing backed by his monstrous spiritual pressure. However, the Shinigami in sandal and hat not only dodged the attack but also trickily placed a seal on his wrist. Now without wasting any moment, he constrained Aizen with multiple Bakudos and finally attacked him with the Hado 91, Senju Koten Taiho. The next moment, Aizen appeared right behind Urahara with a new appearance. Half of his face was covered with Hollow Mask remnant along with armor and tentacles on his upper half body which were made up of the same material. Once again he tried to attack Urahara and ended up receiving a similar outcome in the form of another seal no his other wrist. Now two circular energy seals appeared on Aizen's wrists and all of a sudden his entire body got engulfed inside an oval-shaped explosion of extremely dense Kido energy. "It's not over yet… he will be coming out of that in no time," Urahara spoke to everyone after landing on the ground.

**After some time at a significant distance away from there...**

Sesshomaru, Harribel, Ulquiorra, Orihime and Uryu Ishida arrived at the place where Barragan and Stark died. They were able to sense the fierce spiritual pressure which was coming from the clashing energies in the battle. "It seems that we are not so late," Uryu spoke to everyone. "Urahara-san must have been trying to capture Aizen using Kido just as Tessai-san told us," Orihime spoke as well. "Yes, it will definitely buy us some time. Now let's go Inoue-san," Uryu replied to her.

When both of them rushed in the direction of the battle but Sesshomaru and Harribel didn't then Ulquiorra stopped all of a sudden and asked them. "You don't want to fight against Aizen?" Sesshomaru answered, "I will eventually join the battle but for now I want to revive the remaining two Espadas."

"Hmm," Ulquiorra responded while concluding that he must be talking about Stark and Barragan. "Ulquiorra, with you on the frontlines we will have ample time to revive them and then convince them to fight from our side," Harribel said to the fourth Espada.

"I see… I don't think Aizen will need more opponents while facing me," Ulquiorra replied them before he swiftly headed in the direction of Aizen.

Afterward, Harribel brought Sesshomaru at the location where Stark's lifeless body fell after receiving the deathblow by the hands of Shunshui Kyoraku. Now she backed off to a sophisticated distance while Sesshomaru unsheathed his Tensaiga in order to revive him. The Daiyokai was able to see the hoard of the minions of the Netherworld surrounding Stark's corpse. He didn't waste any moment in destroying every single one of them with a single swing of his Tensaiga while Harribel was observing him attentively since she wanted him to revive her Fraccions as well.

Now Stark slowly opened his eyes and he saw Sesshomaru and Harribel with confusion as both of them were standing right in front of him. "You… you have revived me, I was dead… have you revived Lilynette too? Where is she?" Stark abruptly spoke to Sesshomaru just after getting revived. "She should be alive now," Sesshomaru responded. "Try calling her," Harribel told him.

"Lilynette? Hey… Lilynette?" Stark shouted as soon as he got up from the ground and waited for some response but even after a few moments he received no reply from her. "She isn't responding… perhaps, she is…" Stark spoke in a worrisome tone but was interrupted by a familiar voice that shocked him as well. "Stark! Stark! I'm here… I was just shocked to find myself alive," Lilynette's voice echoed from his pistol.

"Oh, okay… fine and now just shut up because that white-haired guy is up to something," Stark replied to her after taking a deep breath of relief. "No Stark, he is not what you are thinking," Harribel responded upon listening to his words. "Do you know him or you have also been revived by him?" He asked her in a serious tone. "I know him for a very long time… but what you need to know is, a few hours ago he saved me from the certain death by the hands of Aizen." Halibel answered Stark in an utterly serious manner. "What do you mean?" He asked confusingly. "Aizen tried to kill me after your death, just because he thought that we Espadas are not powerful enough… we were nothing more than just a few pawns at the palm of his hand," she explained further in a slightly gloomy tone.

"I never liked that guy, to be honest… he was always shady as fuck," Lilynette interrupted in between. "Shut up, for now, Lilynette," Stark scolded him in a serious tone. "You are… so serious," Lilynette uttered in a low voice upon sensing his mood. "So, it was all a lie, an illusion… we were never his comrades…" he muttered to himself in a low voice. "It is not the end of the line, Stark… we can still fight against him and stop him from doing more damage," Harribel responded to him. "I am all for it… Count me in!" Lilynette's loud voice echoed from the pistol. "Hmm!" Stark didn't say anything but from his expressions, it seemed that he was ready to face Aizen. "Now let me revive the last Espada, Barragan Louisenbairn," Sesshomaru spoke to both Stark and Harribel before he stepped ahead and started to pump his spiritual pressure into the Tensaiga.

**On the other hand where Urahara and others were waiting for Aizen to break the Kido barriers…**

Gin, Isshin, Urahara, Yoruichi, and Ichigo had noticed the energy release when Sesshomaru revived Stark. Aizen sensed it as well even though he was inside several layers of powerful Kido barriers and now he started to wonder about Sesshomaru and his motives behind returning to the World of the Living again. While both Urahara and Yoruichi were still confused about Sesshomaru's action, all of them got shocked to witness Ulquiorra along with Orihime and Uryu as they arrived there. However, the most shocked one was Ichigo since Ulquiorra died right in front of his eyes a few hours back. "U..Ulquiorra… you are alive?" Ichigo muttered shockingly. "Indeed I am, Ichigo… you are not seeing a ghost," he responded in his usual serious tone. "Actually, a white-haired demon named Sesshomaru revived him," Uryu said to Ichigo upon sensing that Orihime was being hesitant for some reason. "It seems that he has returned from the Hueco Mundo at the right time," Urahara spoke with a confident smile on his face. "Where is he?" Yoruichi asked. "He is close… Espada 3 Tia Harribel is with him. He wants us to stop Aizen until he finishes resurrecting the Espada 1 and 2," Ulquiorra answered her. "Wait… What? Why the hell is he reviving the dead Espadas, whose side is he anyway?" Ichigo asked abruptly. "Don't worry Ichigo, he is a friend… he won't do anything recklessly," Yoruichi replied to him. "Yes, don't worry about anything, just focus on Aizen… those Kidos won't be able to hold him for long," Urahara spoke to everyone in a serious tone while staring at the oval-shaped Kido barrier inside of which Aizen was struggling.

**Meanwhile, where Sesshomaru revived Stark and Lilynette…**

Sesshomaru had revived Barragan by now. The previous king of the Hueco Mundo was already in his Resurreccion form and he was silently observing Harribel, Stark, and Sesshomaru who were standing at some distance away from him. Now both Harribel and Stark were waiting for him to speak something to know his stand. However, Barragan didn't say anything but the next moment he shocked both of them by summoning the battle-ax in his hand.

"Barragan, I think you need to know a few things before you raise your weapon," Harribel spoke abruptly to prevent a possible unnecessary battle. "Harribel, I don't think you can tell me something which I can't anticipate at the moment," he replied. "None of us wants to fight against you, Number 2," Stark spoke in a serious tone while loading his pistols.

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**To be continued…**


	49. Chapter 49

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 49: Abduction of Espadas IV**

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Now both Harribel and Stark were waiting for him to speak something to know his stand. However, Barragan didn't say anything but the next moment he shocked both of them by summoning the battle-ax in his hand.

"Barragan, I think you need to know a few things before you raise your weapon," Harribel spoke abruptly to prevent a possible unnecessary battle. "Harribel, I don't think you can tell me something which I can't anticipate at the moment," he replied. "None of us wants to fight against you, Number 2," Stark spoke in a serious tone while loading his pistols.

"You have to listen…" Harribel insisted in a serious tone. "Tell him, Harribel," Stark muttered while pointing one of his pistols towards Barragan. "You might have anticipated by now that Lord Sesshomaru has resurrected you and we are no longer a part of the Aizen's army… but what you need to know is, he has betrayed us… after you and Stark died, he…" She said to Barragan but was interrupted in between. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha… he might have tried to kill you, isn't it? So what if he betrayed us or even tried to kill us? Even if he wouldn't, I was going to kill him because he took my throne away from me… because of him, I am no longer the King of the Hueco Mundo," Barragan spoke while slowly getting angry upon remembering the day when Aizen, Gin, and Tosen attacked him.

Now Barragan began to raise his spiritual pressure which alarmed both Stark and Harribel while Sesshomaru was silently observing everything that was happening between them. "What exactly do you intend to do, Barragan? We should combine our powers to fight against Aizen… don't waste this second chance provided to us by Lord Sesshomaru," She said in order to convince him once again. "Harribel, are you forgetting your place? I am the true King of Hueco Mundo and I will punish Aizen but don't you dare to boss around in my presence… moreover, you should refer me as your Lord instead of this damn creature," He replied to her in a rude tone while pointing towards Sesshomaru. "You are out of your mind," she mumbled furiously. "We are free now, Barragan… the sooner you realize it, the better it would be," Stark said in a serious tone.

Upon listening to the words of Stark and Harribel, he got overwhelmed with immense anger and the next moment, he swung his battle-ax on both of them. However, before any of them could have responded to it, Sesshomaru blocked it with his Bakusaiga. Suddenly the Segunda Espada unleashed one of his lethal techniques Respira. Both Stark and Harribel backed off to a safe distance while Sesshomaru simply released a huge amount of his demonic spiritual pressure to counter it. Now the Daiyokai didn't waste any moment in using his superior physical might and push Barragan away from him. "You two should stay out of this fight," Sesshomaru told both Harribel and Stark while staring at Barragan.

On the other hand, the Segunda Espada began to move swiftly around Sesshomaru and shoot powerful waves of Respira at him from different angles. However, he easily dodged some of them by using his superior demonic speed while the remaining ones he deflected using the powerful energy waves from his Bakusaiga. After sometime Barragan realized that he will never be able to touch him at this rate and thus he stopped at one place in order to devise a plan to get him. "You don't seem to do a fatal attack, why?" He asked. "It's quite simple Barragan, your head is more useful to me when it is on your shoulders not off of them," Sesshomaru answered while tightening his grip on the hilt of his sword.

Sesshomaru's words greatly infuriated him and the next moment he rushed towards him while burning with anger. But before he could have reached him, everyone present there got shook by an immensely powerful spiritual pressure that was coming from the dimensional distortion nearby them in the sky. "It's one of them," Sesshomaru mumbled while his eyes got widened upon realizing the danger of the situation. "What are you talking about Lord Sesshomaru? Who is he?" Harribel asked him. "Demons of hell… they are trying to abduct the Espadas," he replied. "Oh," she responded.

Now a greyish blue and stocky build Serpent Demon of hell appeared out of the portal generated by the dimensional distortion. He was wearing a mouthpiece that was looking like fangs with visual traits similar to a medieval interrogator or executioner. He had comparatively large hands and a wider waist with somewhat shorter legs but he wasn't too short in comparison of a human. Except for the executioner-like mouthpiece, he was wearing a huge armor at his torso that was covering him up to the waist.

"He seems to be really powerful, even more than this white-haired demon," Lilynette spoke to Stark. "Hmm…" he responded.

"Haha today is my lucky day, top three Espadas gathered at one place, great!" That infernal demon spoke loudly with joy while Harribel and Stark prepared to defend themselves. "Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked him. "I am Diamondback and I am grateful to you for reviving these Espadas for me… now step aside and let me capture all of them," He replied while moving towards Harribel and Stark. However, before he could have reached close to them, a powerful energy wave from Bakusaiga hit him hard. It not only pushed him away but also Bakusaiga's energy started to flow in his entire body, causing a severe burning sensation. Diamondback immediately charged his demonic energy to get rid of that sensation and then he spoke to Sesshomaru, "it seems that your sword is indeed very troublesome, you lowly demon… I have got no choice but to dispose of you before I capture them."

Now Diamondback rushed towards Sesshomaru with immense speed and clashed his reaper with the Bakusaiga but eventually, he overpowered the Daiyokai and pushed him towards the ground. However, Sesshomaru regained his posture in the midair and successfully landed on his feet. Now without wasting any moment, Diamondback threw his reaper towards the ground with great momentum. The hilt of his reaper hit the ground hard and ruptured it in a huge area due to which several tall buildings crumbled down on Sesshomaru in no time. But the infernal demon didn't stop here. He immediately generated orbs of greyish-purple demonic energy on the palm of his hands and began to fire them towards the rubble causing non-stop explosions.

Suddenly several wolves made up of energy attacked Diamondback from all sides, engulfing him into a powerful energy-blast on Stark's command while Harribel quickly rushed towards the rubble in order to find Sesshomaru. However, before she could have reached there, Barragan appeared right in front of her and asked in a taunting manner, "Where are you going?" She answered him by activating the Trident technique. She infused her sword with her spirit energy, causing it to glow before she fired a high-force slash from her sword on Barragan, shoving him out of her way.

On the other hand, Stark was carefully avoiding Diamondback while continuously firing Ceros on him. However, this trick didn't last long as eventually, the infernal demon jumped very high, dodging his Ceros and shooting an orb of demonic energy at him simultaneously. After Stark fell in the rubble as well, he quickly rushed towards Harribel while Barragan returned to his senses as well and decided to attack her with a fatal blow. "Ha ha ha ha ha… now you are done, Tercera Espada," the Segunda Espada muttered in a cunning manner while raising his spiritual pressure.

"Res..aaarrgghhckk!" Barragan groaned while falling back upon being hit by a powerful tricolor Cero during the initiation of his Respira technique. Harribel's eyes got widened upon sensing familiar spiritual pressures and she immediately looked towards the source of that tricolor Cero, forgetting about the Diamondback who had almost swung his reaper on her. "Azure Dragon Wave!" Sesshomaru's voice echoed and the next moment a powerful wave of demonic energy shoved the infernal demon away from her.

"Apacci, Mila Rose, Sung-Sun..." She mumbled with a surprise upon seeing them. "Harribel-Sama, we are here to protect you," All the three of them responded while rushing towards her. Stark came out of the rubble as well while Sesshomaru was also ready to continue the fight.

"Demon… if we combine our power then we can defeat them easily," Barragan said to Diamondback upon getting frustrated to see them together. "Indeed we can but I don't have time for it," Diamondback replied and the next moment the blade of his reaper was penetrating the belly of Segunda Espada. "We will meet again, just wait…" the infernal demon spoke before he disappeared in a dimensional distortion along with Barragan.

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**To be continued…**

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_**Author's Note:**_

_Hello my dear readers, hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am writing this particular Author's Note to inform you guys that the new character i.e. "Diamondback" which I have introduced in this chapter is not going to have his original plot (from Warriors Orochi 4: Ultimate) but also not very different though, there were only minor modifications. According to my story, he is a demon of hell but a henchman of Orochi whom I will be introducing in future chapters as another demon of hell. If you have any additional question or doubt then please feel free to ask it through your reviews or comments, or PM, I will be looking forward to your comments,_

_Take care…_


	50. Chapter 50

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 50: Road to Aizen**

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"Apacci, Mila Rose, Sung-Sun..." She mumbled with a surprise upon seeing them. "Harribel-Sama, we are here to protect you," All the three of them responded while rushing towards her. Stark came out of the rubble as well while Sesshomaru was also ready to continue the fight.

"Demon… if we combine our power then we can defeat them easily," Barragan said to Diamondback upon getting frustrated to see them together. "Indeed we can but I don't have time for it," Diamondback replied and the next moment the blade of his reaper was penetrating the belly of Segunda Espada. "We will meet again, just wait…" the infernal demon spoke before he disappeared in a dimensional distortion along with Barragan.

After they left, Sesshomaru walked towards Harribel and said to her while putting his sword back in its sheath, "You should have been more careful, Tia… that Infernal Demon arrived too close to you." Now before Harribel could have responded to him, Apacci came forward and glared at Sesshomaru before she placed her hands on the sides of her waist. "Do you have any idea whom you are talking to? Just who do you think you are?" She spoke to him. Now before Harribel could have stopped her, Mila Rose spoke to Sesshomaru as well, "Yeah… and nobody calls Harribel-Sama by her first name, you should apologize to her, right now?" On the other hand, Stark was watching them with widened eyes in a funny manner.

"Wait, Apacci… Mila Rose… don't say anything else," Harribel spoke to them abruptly in a slightly strict tone. "B..But Harribel-Sama?" Apacci mumbled to her. "If I am not wrong then the three of you died while fighting the Shinigami leader," Stark spoke in a serious tone. "Yes, it certainly felt that way… but, it can't be possible since we are alive now," Sung-Sun replied to him. "Yeah… oh, wait… Apacci, Sung-Sun… where all of our injuries got vanished?" Mila Rose asked shockingly upon realizing it. "And our power… it feels fully recharged, but how?" Apacci spoke while shifting her focus towards her spiritual pressure. "Looks like these dumb bitches have no idea, on whom they were ranting," Lilynette's voice echoed from Stark's pistol. "You all are fine right now because he revived you back from the dead," Harribel said to her Fraccions gesturing towards Sesshomaru. All three of them were shocked to know this and then Sung-Sun asked her about Sesshomaru with great curiosity, "But who is he, Harribel-Sama?" Apacci crossed her arms and whispered to Sung-Sun in a displeased tone, "He is a male after all." Mila Rose responded as well, "yeah, don't forget it Sung-Sun."

"I am sorry Lord Sesshomaru, they…" Harribel spoke to him softly but was interrupted by him. "We don't have ample time… we must leave now," he said in his usual serious tone. Sung-Sun's mouth was opened and she was blushing after seeing that Harribel referred him as Lord. "I think my ear-drums didn't heal yet," Apacci mumbled while fingering her ear. "No… nooo… Apacci, she really referred him as Lord," Mila Rose whispered to her shockingly. "What the fuck! We were just dead for a few hours and this world turned upside down," Apacci spoke anxiously. Harribel stared at them in a serious manner upon listening to their chit-chatting and that was enough to silence them immediately.

"I think your Fraccions will only be in our way during our battle against Aizen," Sesshomaru said to Harribel. "There's no way we will let Harribel-Sama go alone in front of that monster," Mila Rose responded to him in a strict tone. "Look, whoever you are… we are grateful that you have revived us back to life but get one thing straight in your head, none can ever protect her the way we do," Apacci also spoke to him in a harsh manner. Now Harribel glared at both of them but before she could have said anything, the sound of a feminine laugh caught everyone's attention.

It was none other but one of the servants of Orkos, Yang. "Don't worry girls, didn't your Harribel-Sama tell you that how nicely this demon takes care of her?" Yang playfully said to them. "Hmm… an Arrancar," Stark muttered in a slow voice upon looking at her. "What do you mean?" Mila Rose asked her. "And first of all, who the hell are you?" Apacci responded as well but frustratingly. "I am Yang, one of the most trusted servants of Lord Orkos, the firstborn of our kind and the half-brother of your Harribel-Sama," she answered which utterly shocked everyone except Sesshomaru and Harribel.

"The firstborn… and that too Harribel's half-brother?" Stark whispered to himself while all the three Fraccions of Harribel were utterly speechless after listening to this truth. "Anyways, Harribel… you should tell your Fraccions about how you roamed around with this demon in order to find them 50 years ago, how he kept you safe all that time… and yes, after you injured him in our ritual, you two stayed in complete privacy in the underground section of Negal Ruins, I wonder in how many ways you might have taken care of this demon… he he he he he," Yang spoke again while chuckling in a playful manner. "You better mind your own business, Yang… otherwise…" Harribel responded to her furiously while her Fraccions were immensely surprised after listening to everything which the mysterious Arrancar just said. "Yang, if Orkos has sent you only for the useless gossip then you should get lost from here," Sesshomaru said to her while giving her a cold stare with his golden eyes.

"Haha alright, let's get down to the business… now take out the jewel," Yang said to Sesshomaru while standing close to him. He took the golden jewel out of his Kimono and handed it over to her. "Lord Orkos knew that you will carry out the task with utmost honesty and dedication that's why he not only returned the memories of her sister but also of her Fraccions," she spoke to him and as soon as she finished, he started to walk away from there. "Wait Sesshomaru!" She muttered in order to stop him. "What is it?" He asked. "Lord Orkos said it would be kind of you to keep the remaining Espadas alive and that's why he has sent me to accompany your gang in this battle against Aizen," she answered with a smile. "You can go back to your so-called Lord Orkos… we don't need your help," Harribel said to her in a strict tone. "Are you sure? Lord Orkos has sent me with something special for Aizen," she replied to her while smiling confidently. "Hmm… alright, come with us… but if it is one of your traps then know that you will not get any chance to return to Orkos," Sesshomaru said to her while looking ahead. "Hah! Fair enough," she responded.

"What about us Harribel-Sama?" Apacci asked her. "I think it would be best if the three of you leave to the shop of Lord Sesshomaru's Shinigami comrades," Harribel replied to her. "Argh! She again called him lord," Apacci mumbled in a very low voice. "But why Harribel-Sama? Why do you not want to take us with you? Are we this weak? Don't you have faith in our capability?" Mila Rose asked her in a sad tone. "I won't say anything, she will do what is best for all of us," Sung-Sun mumbled to herself while looking towards them. "She does not want the three of you to participate in the battle against Aizen because she knows that I can revive a being back from the dead only once," Sesshomaru spoke to all the three of them. "Yes… and I can't afford to lose any of you again," Harribel muttered in a soft tone. Her words made them slightly disappointed and they tilted their heads down. "Don't worry, it doesn't mean that she does not believe in your potential but the thing is, she knows Aizen's power very well as she has faced him head-on," Stark spoke to make them understand. "What? We were under the impression that everyone simply rebelled against him," Apacci responded abruptly. "No, Apacci… Aizen betrayed the Hollows and he tried to kill me by his own hands," Harribel told her in a serious tone. "Damn! I am glad you are fine, Harribel-Sama," Mila Rose replied to her while Apacci was utterly speechless after listening to her words. "I am alright only because of him," Harribel replied to them further and they knew that she was talking about none other but Sesshomaru. "Oh!" They responded with a surprise. While they were still in the middle of the conversation, Sesshomaru started to move in the direction of Aizen. Yang left as well after which both Stark and Harribel began to follow them. "Teach that bastard a good lesson," Harribel's Fraccions shouted from behind.

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**To be continued…**


	51. Chapter 51

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 51: The Chrysalis Stage**

* * *

"No, Apacci… Aizen betrayed the Hollows and he tried to kill me by his own hands," Harribel told her in a serious tone. "Damn! I am glad you are fine, Harribel-Sama," Mila Rose replied to her while Apacci was utterly speechless after listening to her words. "I am alright only because of him," Harribel replied to them further and they knew that she was talking about none other but Sesshomaru. "Oh!" They responded with a surprise. While they were still in the middle of the conversation, Sesshomaru started to move in the direction of Aizen. Yang left as well after which both Stark and Harribel began to follow them. "Teach that bastard a good lesson," Harribel's Fraccions shouted from behind.

**Las Noches (region with the artificial daylight), Hueco Mundo… **

Yin was freely walking around in the area filled with the aftermaths of all the battles that had taken place over there recently. However, it seemed from the movement of her eyes and body language that she was looking for something or rather someone. Soon enough her eyes caught an Arrancar who was none other but Rudbornn Chelute, the sole member of the Exequias.

Now Yin didn't waste any moment and confronted him. "Who are you?" Rudbornn asked her. "Can't you see? I am an Arrancar… just like you," she replied. "I can see that girl but don't try to mess with me and tell me what do you want?" He responded to her in a strict tone. "I am here to recruit you for a very important mission, Rudbornn… come with me," she spoke before she turned around and prepared to walk away from there. "You seem powerful but do not get so full of yourself brainless woman, Grow, Arbo..aakk!" Rudbornn muttered to her but was choked the moment he tried to initiate the release of his Resurreccion. Yin's whip was wrapped around his neck and she didn't waste any moment in unleashing the electric current through it. Suddenly Rudbornn began to writhe with the pain and eventually fell on his knees. "I am Yin and I am here to recruit you in the army of the firstborn," She spoke to him upon freeing his neck while staring at him with a confident grin on her lips. "Ah.. ahh… the firstborn?" He asked while panting. "Yes, the first of our kind… Lord Orkos," She replied before walking away from there while Rudbornn followed her as well.

After some time both of them reached close to the tower inside of which Ulquiorra and Ichigo fought against each other. Soon enough they came across Loly, Menoly, and Gantenbainne who were simply looking for a safe place to have some rest. "Beaten… exhausted… and out of options… perhaps the three of you can make good use of a safe shelter isn't it?" Yin said to them while coming from behind. Now Menoly immediately dragged Loly and hide behind a rock while Gantenbainne prepared himself to fight against them. However, before he could have attacked Yin, Rudbornn stopped him. "Rudbornn… what are you doing with this strange girl?" Gantenbainne asked with wonderment. "We are here to recruit all of you to a new team… it is the only beneficial option for you now," He replied to him in a rather sad tone. "Oh! Wha..What do you mean, Rudbornn?" Menoly asked abruptly. "Loly and Menoly… you two were crushed by Yammy isn't it? And you Gantenbainne, you were almost killed by Nnoitra, am I right?" Yin asked as she walked a few steps ahead. "Ye..Yes… but who are you and how do you know about us?" Menoly asked shockingly. "Have some patience girl, you will know about me eventually but for now you should focus on your enemies… Yammy, Nnoitra and some other Espadas have been abducted by the demons of Hell. Soon they will return with more power and crush all of you like insects," Yin answered her after which all the three of them were utterly shocked. "Join our ranks if you wish to survive long enough and take revenge on them," she added further before walking away from there while all of them pondered over her words for a moment and eventually began to follow her.

**Location of the battle of Fake Karakura town… **

Gin Ichimaru had cleverly disappeared from there and nobody was able to sense his spiritual pressure anywhere close to the area. After his retreat, Urahara, Yoruichi, Isshin, Ichigo, Ulquiorra, Uryu, and Orihime were completely focused on Aizen alone. "I think at least one of us should stay with Orihime," Yoruichi spoke while addressing everyone. "Yes, Aizen can target her because of the unique healing abilities which she possesses," Urahara spoke as well. "I am ready to take this responsibility," Uryu responded to them. After Uryu and Orihime backed off to a safe distance, Urahara, Isshin, Yoruichi, Ichigo, and Ulquiorra stood around that stagnant blast which was constantly releasing energy in an oval formation.

A humanoid shadow appeared inside the oval energy release with the glowing Hogyoku in the middle of its chest. Suddenly the entire energy of the blast revolved around him and then disappeared in the blink of an eye before he landed on the ground right between Urahara and Isshin. Everyone present there was utterly shocked to witness his speed but they didn't allow it to overwhelm their senses. On the other hand, Aizen seemed to be completely covered in the white cloth which was actually the white material similar to the mask of the Hollows. His eyes were covered with violet crystals while his Zanpakuto seemed to become a part of his body. After a few moments of pause, Aizen and Urahara began a dialogue and then the former explained the later about how he managed to survive and moreover adopt an even more powerful form despite being affected by the deadly Kido attack. Now Aizen stared at everyone present there and then he spoke to Ulquiorra, "What is this form, Ulquiorra? It seems to be a step further even from Arrancar Resurreccion… I am amused to see it."

"This is Segunda Etapa and yes, it is indeed what you have just said… Aizen," He replied to him in his usual emotionless tone. "Then I wonder if I need to take care while crossing swords with you, Ulquiorra," the Shinigami in Chrysalis Form spoke in a slightly playful tone.

Suddenly Isshin swung his sword on Aizen from behind while Urahara did the same from the front. Aizen stopped Isshin's sword with his foot while simultaneously blocking Urahara's attack with his sword. The next moment, Aizen gave a powerful push to both of them which dragged them back in opposite directions. However, they immediately used energy chains and held Aizen in the middle with his wrist and ankle stretched towards them in the air. Now before he could have freed himself, Yoruichi came from the top and swiftly hit his back with an immensely powerful punch that caused a powerful blast. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaa…" she roared loudly as she continued to shower similar armored punches on his back vigorously. Her spiritual pressure was skyrocketing and her punches were vibrating the entire land while the dense clouds of dust and smoke had filled the surroundings.

"Oh… she is capable of inflicting this much damage even without her Zanpakuto," Ulquiorra mumbled to himself while carefully observing Yoruichi. After some time she halted the barrage of punches while the smoke and dust clouds got dissipated in time as well. Aizen was lying on his belly with his entire torso got severely cracked while she was sitting on his back. "Well… did that work?" She murmured upon sensing that he had fallen motionless while his spiritual pressure was also going down.

"Back off… YORUICHI-SAN!" Urahara shouted abruptly in a loud voice upon sensing a sudden rise in Aizen's spiritual pressure. Now before she could have jumped off of him a powerful blast of Aizen's monstrous spiritual pressure blew her away. Urahara immediately reached close to her and caught her into his arms before she could have hit the ground. She seemed to have taken a serious amount of damage since her armor from both of her legs and arms was severely damaged while her clothes were almost completely blown away by the force of that blast. Urahara noticed that she was unconscious and some of her wounds were quite deep hence he immediately rushed towards Orihime without wasting any moment. He made her lie down on the ground and then covered her naked body with his coat while Orihime immediately summoned her powers in order to treat her wounds.

On the other hand, Aizen had got up by now and an immense amount of spiritual pressure was radiating from his entire being. Even though his torso was cracked from several places yet it seemed that he was in the perfect state to continue the battle.

* * *

**To be continued…**


	52. Chapter 52

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 52: Alliance against Aizen**

* * *

Urahara noticed that she was unconscious and some of her wounds were quite deep hence he immediately rushed towards Orihime without wasting any moment. He made her lie down on the ground and then covered her naked body with his coat while Orihime immediately summoned her powers in order to treat her wounds.

On the other hand, Aizen had got up by now and an immense amount of spiritual pressure was radiating from his entire being. Even though his torso was cracked from several places yet it seemed that he was in the perfect state to continue the battle.

"What's the matter? You are not done already? Are you? You'd better make your next move quickly, I will crush them one at a time, down to your last remaining one. The number of methods you contrived to defeat me is proof of your effort and strength. And at the same time, it represents the number of hopes you hold. If that is so, then what I must do is to crush each one of them. Now come at me with your next attack, all of you," Aizen spoke while slowly walking towards in the direction where Orihime was healing Yoruichi.

"Stay with Orihime no matter what," Urahara mumbled to Uryu in a serious manner. "Don't worry," he responded. On the other hand, Aizen pointed the edge of his sword towards Urahara while he was still at a significant distance away from him. The next moment, Aizen's sword sparked with dense and immensely powerful violet spiritual pressure. Urahara immediately summoned the Blood Mist Shield before he listened to a familiar voice, "Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo roared as he unleashed a fierce wave of dark and red energy towards the Shinigami in Chrysalis form from the top. However, Aizen easily blocked that attack by holding his blade right above his head in a horizontal manner. Now Urahara rushed towards Aizen with his Blood Mist Shield in front of his body and he successfully started to drag him back after colliding with him.

Isshin approached Aizen from behind and attacked him with a powerful sword swing backed by his spiritual pressure. However, Aizen immediately performed a high backflip in order to parry that attack, simultaneously releasing an arc of energy towards Urahara in the process. As a result, Isshin ended up shattering Urahara's Blood Mist Shield with his attack before the deadly wave hit him from behind. Both of them got shoved away by the force of the blast caused by Aizen's energy arc. Isshin had received a large and bloody wound at his back while Urahara received only some minor bruises since he didn't come in direct contact with that arc of energy.

"Two down, now prepare for your turn, Ichigo…" Aizen said to him but before he could have swung his sword, a tight grip on his wrist stopped him. It was actually Ulquiorra's tail and now he loped on Aizen with his Lanza del Relampago. Aizen stopped that spear of energy with his bare hand but before he could have attacked the Cuatro Espada, Ichigo stabbed his back with Zangetsu's blade. "Getsuga Tensho!" He spoke with his blade penetrating Aizen's back. "Cero Oscuras!" Ulquiorra murmured with his finger placed on Aizen's chest. In the blink of an eye, all the three of them got engulfed into an immensely powerful fiery explosion of Getsuga Tensho's and Cero Oscuras' black energy. Suddenly a spark of brilliant violet energy shined through that blast before it adopted even more destructive form, covering an even larger area than before.

Both Ichigo and Ulquiorra got shoved into opposite directions by the force of that detonation. The former simply got blown away and he collided with the ground several times on his way before losing the momentum while the later remained on his feet as he was pushed backward by the force.

Aizen's torso was severely damaged revealing nothing but violet spiritual energy filled inside his body. He still got absolutely no sign of pain or discomfort as he was moving towards Ulquiorra. On the other hand, the Cuatro Espada looked behind where Orihime was healing both Yoruichi and Isshin and immediately a memory flashed in his mind in which Orihime was holding his hand. "They are right behind me… if I dodged or if I didn't face Aizen then…" Ulquiorra whispered in his mind while thinking about the consequences if he attempted to save himself. On the other hand, Urahara preferred to stay close to Orihime, Uryu, Yoruichi, and Isshin to protect them in case Aizen defeats Ulquiorra. "So, how does it feel to change the sides, Ulquiorra?... You have already died once while fighting for me, isn't it? Now, do you wish to die for them?" Aizen asked while crushing Ulquiorra's spear of energy with his bare hand. "How do you know that I died?" Ulquiorra asked while narrowing his eyes on him. "I knew this even before you started your fight against Ichigo," Aizen replied while walking towards him which utterly shocked him. "That bastard planned everything… even my birth," Ichigo said to Ulquiorra while finally getting up on his feet.

Ulquiorra had realized the extent to which Aizen manipulated everyone and now before they could have continued their battle, all of them felt a very powerful spiritual pressure. "Hey, Urahara-san! Something really powerful is heading this way," Ichigo told him upon getting startled by the feeling of that spiritual pressure. The Shinigami in sandal and hat didn't reply to him but only smiled and the next moment, Sesshomaru, Harribel, Stark, and Yang appeared in the sky right above them.

"Sesshomaru… so, you have returned to face me, very well… finally, I can test my transcended powers against someone who belongs to a race that is beyond that of the Hollows and the Soul Reapers," Aizen said to him. "I will see to it that how much your so-called transcended powers can accomplish against me," He replied while unsheathing his Bakusaiga. "Don't be so full of yourself, Aizen! Now you will feel the power of the true Lord of Hueco Mundo," Yang shouted at him while referring Orkos. "True lord of Hueco Mundo, interesting… I would have asked you more about this but currently, I lack time," He replied to her in his usual polite but cunning tone.

"Urahara, I want you to take them far away from here, "Sesshomaru said to him after carefully observing the situation all around him. "Hmm… I will be back in no time, let's go… Ichigo!" He replied to him and then called Ichigo for help. Urahara and Ichigo picked up Yoruichi and Isshin respectively while Uryu decided to take Orihime along with him. "What's going on Urahara-san? Who is he?" Ichigo asked him. "He is an old friend and don't worry, he can handle him… at least until we return here," the Shinigami in sandal and hat replied to him and then all of them left from there.

Now silence prevailed in the surroundings and the environment was heavy with the rising tensions between the warriors. Aizen was standing in the middle while Sesshomaru, Harribel, and Stark were standing high in the air. Ulquiorra was standing behind Aizen and was wondering if the three of them were only concerned about killing Aizen or they would also provide him with a helping hand.

All of a sudden Stark used the Sonido technique as he swiftly drifted in the air and started to attack Aizen with the Cero fires from his pistols. The Shinigami in Chrysalis form moved with unimaginable speed and dodged most of his Ceros while deflecting the remaining ones with his sword. Within no time he reached close to Stark but the later seemed to be disappeared from his place revealing an immense surge of water right behind him which pushed the former one down to the ground along with it. Both Stark and Harribel looked towards each other and slightly moved their faces in the mutual admiration of their successful teamwork.

On the other hand, a powerful blast of sheer pressure splattered the water all around and Aizen once again rushed towards the sky in a fierce manner but this time his advance was halted by none other but Sesshomaru as both of them clashed their blades in the midair that generated a strong shockwave. Aizen's Zanpakuto was releasing the sparks of violet energy while Sesshomaru's Bakusaiga was radiating with the flashes of green demonic energy during their clash. "Trident!" Harribel murmured as she joined Sesshomaru in the weapon deadlock, attacking Aizen with a high-pressure slash. The Shinigami in Chrysalis form managed to block even that but couldn't maintain the weapon deadlock much longer as the next Sesshomaru and Harribel shoved him away with their combined force. Aizen hit the ground hard as he landed on his one knee while it seemed that this setback had started to fill him with rage.

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**To be continued…**


	53. Chapter 53

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 53: Post-Chrysalis Stage**

* * *

Aizen's Zanpakuto was releasing the sparks of violet energy while Sesshomaru's Bakusaiga was radiating with the flashes of green demonic energy during their clash. "Trident!" Harribel murmured as she joined Sesshomaru in the weapon deadlock, attacking Aizen with a high-pressure slash. The Shinigami in Chrysalis form managed to block even that but couldn't maintain the weapon deadlock much longer as the next Sesshomaru and Harribel shoved him away with their combined force. Aizen hit the ground hard as he landed on his one knee while it seemed that this setback had started to fill him with rage.

"I see… so, the three of you have exceeded my expectations for mere Espadas but know that it is not enough to survive against me for too long," Aizen said to Stark, Harribel, and Ulquiorra in an utterly serious tone. "We have got no plans to die here and now, Aizen…" Stark replied while loading his pistols. "You do not know about the full extent of our capabilities yet," Ulquiorra responded while summoning his spear of energy. "The power of an army depends upon its bond with the leader. That's why a man like you can never harness the true strength of the army of Espadas," Harribel replied to him as well while pointing her sword towards him.

Once again she summoned a gigantic surge of water and directed it towards him which he easily dodged by using his superior speed. Now before he could have approached her, Ulquiorra blocked his path while both Harribel and Stark fell back to a great height and started to fire their long-ranged attacks on him.

When Sesshomaru approached Aizen to face him head-on, he was busy in the weapon deadlock with Ulquiorra but he immediately pushed the Cuatro Espada back and countered the Daiyokai's sword swing with ease. "You all think that I don't understand… how naïve of you," Aizen said to Sesshomaru. "What do you mean?" He asked. "Stark's specialty is long-ranged, quick and powerful attacks while Harribel is the most dangerous Espada for long-term battles, her ability to stack her offensive force by accumulating water can be deadly even for the opponents whose power far surpass her," Aizen said to him while Yang was also carefully listening to his words. "Ulquiorra with the second release and high-speed regeneration is the perfect candidate to engage me and buy time while all of you are busy in executing your plans," He spoke further. "It won't make any difference because I am here to ensure your defeat," Yang spoke from behind. "In that case, you will be the next one to go down," Aizen responded to her and immediately rushed to cut her down. However, both of his wrists were seized by Ulquiorra's tail and Sesshomaru's energy whip. They pulled him back elastically and clashed their weapons with him but Aizen tangled Ulquiorra's tail with Sesshomaru's energy whip and slashed both of them in order to free him.

The next moment, a sudden burst of his violet spirit energy shoved both the warriors away from him. Now Aizen swiftly rushed towards Sesshomaru who was still trying to get up on his feet. But before the Shinigami in Chrysalis form could have taken the advantage of the situation, several wolves made up of Cero energy grabbed him with their jaws. However, he immediately summoned his destructive violet spiritual pressure and destroyed all the wolves in the blink of an eye. "Cero," Harribel murmured as she charged a golden-yellow Cero along her sword before firing it on Aizen in a very wide arc through a sword swing. That Cero couldn't inflict significant damage on his body but it certainly forced him to lose track of his opponents for a moment. Ulquiorra attempted to take advantage of this opening and immediately shoot Lanza del Relampago at him. Aizen barely dodged it on the last moment and then immediately rushed towards the Cuatro Espada to punish him for this act. Aizen didn't realize that Sesshomaru who was right behind him, had caught Lanza del Relampago with his energy whip. Now he spun swiftly, elastically throwing Ulquiorra's spear of energy towards Aizen along with a powerful wave of Azure Dragon Wave. Both the powerful techniques got combined on the way. The dragon-shaped energy of Sesshomaru's attack got attached along the length of Ulquiorra's spear of energy in a swirling manner like a snake while the powerful waves of demonic energy increased the momentum of this combination several folds.

Stark immediately approached Ulquiorra and pushed him out of the way at the last moment while Aizen's torso was penetrated by Lanza del Relampago with a powerful collision followed by an enormous blast of green energy and eruption of immense bolts of demonic energy.

Aizen's significantly broken body fell on the ground like a crashed airplane while releasing powerful sparks of unstable violet energy. For a moment, everyone fell under the impression that the battle ended. However, all of them got shocked upon sensing the sudden rise in his spiritual pressure. He slowly got up on his feet while shedding his sleek phantom-like form to reveal a form similar to his original one, with the addition of long hair and gray eyes with the purple sclera.

"The material that you have shed was the Hollow-mask remnant while your spiritual pressure seemed to have solidified at some portions of your body… does this mean that you have found out the secret behind the existence of Hollow-mask remnant?" Yang asked him. "Perhaps… but after listening to your words, I am even more interested in what little trick you are hiding up in your sleeves, Aizen responded to her. "Just wait and watch," she replied. "Hmm… yes, wait and watch," Aizen repeated her words in a low voice with a slight smile while tilting his head downward. Now all of a sudden his monstrous spiritual pressure began to skyrocket and it almost seemed as if it was going to cover a large area in an explosion. "Cero Oscuras!" Ulquiorra muttered while shooting his black Cero towards Aizen in the form of a wave. However, the Shinigami in the post-Chrysalis stage easily blocked the Cero wave by stretching one of his arms in that direction. "Cero Metralleta!" Stark mumbled while shooting a barrage of Ceros on Aizen in order to prevent him from making any move on Ulquiorra.

After a few moments of devastation, Stark eventually stopped his barrage of Cero to figure out the condition of Aizen. However, everyone was shocked to find out that he had got disappeared from there by now. "Did you really think that my abilities would remain on the same level even after the change in my form?" Aizen's voice echoed as he appeared right behind Harribel at a significant distance away from her. She shockingly looked behind upon listening to his voice and sensing his spiritual pressure but before she could have prepared herself, an enormous and powerful burst of violet spiritual pressure approached her swiftly. She got utterly frozen upon realizing that it was impossible for her to escape it but at the end moment Sesshomaru pushed her away before covering her with his own body.

Both Stark and Ulquiorra fell into the grip of fear and worry for them upon seeing them falling from the sky together, leaving behind a trail of smoke in the air. Both of them hit the ground hard and it seemed that they had taken a significant amount of damage, especially Sesshomaru. Harribel's weapon got shattered while her right arm was almost entirely scorched. On the other hand, Sesshomaru was lying on her and he had taken significant damage on his entire back, shoulders and some of the portions of his arms. His armor and kimono were completely destroyed from the back while some of his long strands of hair were also got burnt from the end.

Harribel slowly returned to her senses and moaned slightly due to the immense pain in her right arm while Sesshomaru somehow managed to get on his fours but couldn't move more than that. "Ahh… Lord Sesshomaru, are you alright?" Harribel asked him and slightly rose her head up while lying beneath him. "Stay where you are, don't move away…" he responded to her in a low and painful voice upon sensing the upcoming danger.

"Ho! You two are still able to move… but I want the two of you to rest in peace together, inside the black coffin… Seeping crest of turbidity, arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!" Hado 90, Kurohitsugi!" Aizen murmured as he sealed both Sesshomaru and Harribel inside the deadly black structure.

"Noooo…!" Stark shouted out loud with fear and anger while Ulquiorra fell utterly speechless upon witnessing that disturbing scenario.

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**To be continued…**


	54. Chapter 54

**Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater**

**Arc II: Dawn of Dreams**

**Chapter 54: Strategy against Aizen**

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"Stay where you are, don't move away…" he responded to her in a low and painful voice upon sensing the upcoming danger.

"Ho! You two are still able to move… but I want the two of you to rest in peace together, inside the black coffin… Seeping crest of turbidity, arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!" Hado 90, Kurohitsugi!" Aizen murmured as he sealed both Sesshomaru and Harribel inside the deadly black structure.

"Noooo…!" Stark shouted out loud with fear and anger while Ulquiorra fell utterly speechless upon witnessing that disturbing scenario.

"Don't even think about facing him head-on now," Yang muttered to both Stark and Ulquiorra. "Do we have a choice?" Stark asked her. "If we won't face him now then he will come after us," Ulquiorra spoke in a serious tone. "Try to understand… we can resume the battle once those Shinigamis return and don't think about those two because I know them for a long time, they have survived situations worse than this," Yang spoke in order to convince them to avoid fighting Aizen while assuring them of the survival of Sesshomaru and Harribel.

On the other hand, inside the Kurohitsugi structure, both Sesshomaru and Harribel utterly trapped. Both of them were inside the protective barrier of Tensaiga and since he was on top of her thus she not only remained protected from the twisted gravity of the black coffin but also from the spear-like protrusions which were filling that empty box. He was not exactly on his fours anymore but still, there was some distance between their faces. They were able to feel each other's breaths on their faces. The drops of his blood were constantly falling on her body at different places while she was staring at his face with her eyes filled with grief and helplessness. "Why did you do it?" she whispered in an immensely sad voice.

Meanwhile, outside of the black coffin, everyone's attention was caught by the petals of cherry blossom that suddenly start to blow in the air. "If it isn't Byakuya Kuchiki…" Aizen murmured with a smile on his face. Now those pink petals began to stick on the surface of Kurohitsugi structure upon noticing which Aizen rushed towards Byakuya but all of a sudden, Kenpachi approached him with a powerful sword swing backed by his spiritual pressure along with a maniacal smile at his face. Aizen blocked his sword swing with his blade before shoving him away by using his superior power. But before he could have attacked anyone else, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's Bankai fell right on top of him with all the sharp blades below the creature's neck, pointed towards him. Soon enough Mayuri, Unohana, Urahara, Ichigo, and Renji landed nearby Byakuya. Yang felt quite relieved to see them and she decided to stay in the battle.

By now the petal blades of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi had completely covered the entire structure of Kurohitsugi and on Byakuya's one command the entire black coffin disintegrated as petal-blades started to blow away from it, breaking it bit by bit. Now both Sesshomaru and Harribel got up on their feet. Sesshomaru's back was already bloodied due to the wound which he had received by Aizen's energy-burst while after getting trapped inside Kurohitsugi there were bloody wounds all over his body. "Are you alright?" Byakuya asked him. "Yes… I am," he responded. "Wow, Byakuya seems quite friendly to him," Ichigo muttered upon observing the way he asked for his wellbeing. "Yes, he and Captain are kind of alike," Renji responded to Ichigo. On the other hand, Stark and Ulquiorra were also relieved to see that both of them were at least alive if not well. "It seems that he protected her from both energy burst and Kurohitsugi," Lilynette's voice echoed out of Stark's pistol. "Yes, Lilynette… Number 3 couldn't have survived all that without him," Stark replied to her.

"He seems crazily powerful… my forearm got scorched just by clashing blades with him," Kenpachi spoke while getting up from the ground. "Be thankful to your extraordinary spiritual pressure because an average Shinigami would have turned into a fried chicken just by crossing swords with him," Mayuri said to him. "Hah!" Zaraki responded. "I hope our strategy work for him," Urahara spoke while looking towards Kurotsuchi. "Hmm… my poison to lower down his spiritual pressure and your Kido needles to repel the power of Hogyoku that you installed in my Zanpakuto, they have to survive against his powerful spiritual pressure," Kurotsuchi murmured in a serious tone.

Now entire ground started to tremble while Kurotsuchi's gigantic Bankai creature began to float in the air and move upwards upon being affected by Aizen's spiritual pressure. He appeared standing in at his place, releasing the monstrous amount of spiritual pressure without even a single bruise on his entire body. "What was that, Mayuri Kurotsuchi? Did you intend to crush me beneath your huge Bankai?" Aizen spoke to him and the next moment his Bankai creature got burst in the midair like an air balloon. Now everyone prepared themselves to face him but before the battle could have actually broken out, Yang threw a golden jewel towards Aizen and shouted to all, "now attack him, everyone!"

"Haaaah!... Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo roared while shooting his black energy wave towards Aizen after adopting the Vizard form. "Hikotsu Taiho!" Renji spoke while using one of his most powerful Bankai techniques on him. "Scream, Benihime!" Urahara muttered while shooting a destructive crimson-colored energy blast. Byakuya simply directed his Senbonzakura petal-blades towards while Kenpachi attacked with the amplified energy-slash by using the Kendo technique. Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Retsu Unohana attacked with Hado 88, Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho while Stark and Ulquiorra attacked with their respective powerful Ceros. But Sesshomaru didn't attack due to his lack of trust in Yang while he also stopped Harribel from taking part in this combined attack. For a few moments, it seemed as if their strategy proved to be successful as Aizen's spiritual pressure had started to get low drastically. Upon noticing slight chances of victory everyone intensified their respective attacks but all of a sudden, the golden jewel got burst followed by an immense explosion of Aizen's violet spiritual pressure which engulfed each and everyone present there.

Aizen himself was shaken by that explosion while its powerful force had shoved everyone away from him. Urahara, Sesshomaru, Harribel, Byakuya, and Yang were still conscious and were trying to get up on their feet. "Ha..haha… it seems your final strategy proved to be a fail," Aizen said to them. "I am feeling strange," Urahara murmured. "That attack has certainly affected us if not him," Byakuya spoke as well. "What have you done, Yang? What was that?" Sesshomaru asked her. "It seems Lord Orkos' strategy is going to be successful," Yang responded with a smile at her face, the strange feeling which these two Shinigami Captains are experiencing is the proof. "What do you mean?" Aizen asked while narrowing his eye on her and then suddenly he felt a sudden emergence of severe headache. "You are able to feel it too Aizen, don't you?" Yang spoke to him. Aizen fell on his knees due to the unbearable pain inside his head and asked her in a furious and frustrated tone, "Tell me… what you have done?"

"The jewel which I threw towards you, it is a special jewel that grows on the body of Lord Orkos. It is not actually a weapon but it possesses a very special ability, it connects the souls of two people whose energies come into contact with it. Lord Orkos amplified its ability before handing it over to me. As a result, that jewel has connected everyone's soul with yours, Aizen… you are experiencing this pain because most of them are entering your inner world right now, the world of your soul and your Zanpakuto… your inner world is being overburdened by their souls and their Zanpakutos. Lord Orkos knew that it is impossible for anyone to defeat you from outside and that's why he made a strategy to send everyone inside of you so that they can weaken you from within like a termite eats up the wood," Yang explained him everything while standing close to him.

"I see… so that was your plan," Sesshomaru murmured after listening to her words. "You two are the only ones who are conscious and connected to him… please, guide the souls of your unconscious comrades inside Aizen's inner world," Yang said to both Urahara and Byakuya after which they immediately began to meditate. "I need someone to protect their bodies while they are fighting inside of him," Yang said to both Sesshomaru and Harribel upon noticing that they were preparing themselves to battle.

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**To be continued…**


End file.
